We stop Durham, we stop Meralco – Gin Kings

MANILA, Philippines — Barangay Ginebra sounds like they've already figured Meralco out.

Falling to the Bolts in Game Three last Wednesday, the Gin Kings said they would have won it had they clamped down on the Bolts' import and gone relentless in the final moments of the game.

"Actually, wala naman silang special na ginawa," shared LA Tenorio, who was they spearhead of the Kings' late rally in Game Two. "We didn't play our game until the end. We were leading naman the whole game."

"Ayun lang, 'di kami nagkaroon ng finishing kick," he continued. "Nagkaroon pa tuloy sila ng opportunity toward the end of the game."

"I think we have to find a way to probably slow Allen Durham down," said reinforcement Justin Brownlee. "He had a big night. If he continues [to do so], it's going to be a lot of trouble for us."

"I think that's one thing we're gonna try to do, and try to get back on the fundamentals. Hopefully, it will work for us," the hero of last year's series added.

Brownlee had no answer for Durham in Game Three. The latter, who was snared his second straight Best Import citation, went on a tear to outscore, outrebound and outhustle the former.

And that is expected from a team with Meralco's caliber, Tenorio chimed in.

"Eventually naman talaga in the series, lalabas naman talaga 'yung killer instinct nila kasi they're a good team din," he said. "Anybody can step up sa kanila. Kinain kami ni Durham."

True to the chess-game tag many has penciled the series, the league's ironman guard said tweaks to each teams' approach are natural. Tonight, it's their time to mount their own.