Beermen, Kings battle for one last time

Game Tuesday (Smart Araneta Coliseum)

7 p.m. – Ginebra vs San Miguel

MANILA, Philippines – San Miguel Beer will have its formidable, battle-tested lineup to bank on while Barangay Ginebra hopes to be the Ginebra of old that thrives in tough situations as the two teams square off in the deciding Game Five of their PBA Governors Cup Final Four matchup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum Tuesday night.

After splitting the first four games, the Beermen and the Gin Kings clash for one last time in their keenly followed semis face-off drawing a crowd of over 12,000 at the Big Dome in Game Four Sunday.

Another mammoth turnout is expected in tonight’s 7 p.m. setto, and Ginebra coach Tim Cone hopes to draw extra energy from them as they fight an uphill battle against the reigning champs.

As in the previous matches, it’s the reigning back-to-back MVP June Mar Fajardo and the rest of the SMB super cast versus the Kings and their virtual sixth man – the crowd.

“When you’re up against Ginebra and their fans, things are unpredictable,” said San Miguel coach Leo Austria.

“Such a beautiful crowd (in Game Four), yet we fell flat on our faces. We’re sorry to let the fans down. They were great even if we were not,” said Cone. “But we will pick ourselves up and fight for the fans in Game Five. We will make them proud.”

San Miguel fought with its champion’s heart Sunday – relentless and ruthless in stopping Ginebra, 101-72, to set the sudden death.

Gunners Marcio Lassiter and Alex Cabagnot came out firing, Fajardo asserted himself at the paint while Elijah Millsap and Arwind Santos struck from inside and out as the Beermen foiled the Kings’ first crack at the finals.

Both coaches say the result of Game Four and the previous matches are now out of the equation.

“In the big scheme of things, in the big picture, a 30-point loss is the same as a one-point loss in a series,” said Cone. “You win by 30 points, it doesn’t mean you’ll get an extra win under your belt.”

“It’s one game. But I’m hoping it raises the morale and confidence of our guys going to Game Five,” said Austria.

The SMB coach insists neutralizing Ginebra’s Big Three in Justin Brownlee, LA Tenorio and Japeth Aguilar is key for them.

In Game Four, the Beermen came out firing and dominated the Kings from start to finish.

“I felt we were a little bit worn out from that Game Three and I could kind of sense it in practice the next day,” said Cone.

“Our guys, again they’re learning how to play these things in this kind of series. San Miguel is so experienced at this point. They know exactly what to do. They know how to get themselves ready. They know how to come back from tough losses. Obviously they proved that (in Game Four). They’ve proved that over the last year and a half or so. We’re obviously doing an uphill battle.”

The Kings just didn’t get a chance to close out the series Sunday with their atrocious 29-percent shooting (26-of-89). Aguilar and Sol Mercado, two of the leading Ginebra local scorers, were both 0-of-6 from the field in that game.

“For us to win (the series), we have to play the game of our lives, all of us from the starting five all the way to the bench,” said Aguilar.