Game 5 to end series of routs? Kings, Beermen dispute 3-2 lead

MANILA, Philippines — For both Barangay Ginebra and San Miguel Beer, it has been a conference of big fightbacks all the way from the elimination round.

Tonight, it’s now a fight for the critical go-ahead win as the Gin Kings and the Beermen slug it out for the pivotal 3-2 lead in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup best-of-seven title playoff before an expected huge Sunday crowd at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

It has been a strange series of routs that makes everybody clueless what is going to happen next.

But coaches Tim Cone and Leo Austria are certain their respective teams would go all out in the 6:30 p.m. setto in an effort to be the ones to get two cracks at wrapping up the coveted crown in this midseason tourney.

The two teams are deadlocked at 2-2 following Ginebra’s 127-99 rout in Game One, San Miguel’s back-to-back blowout wins from Game Two (134-109 and 132-94) then the Kings’ equalizer on a 130-100 demolition job in Game Four.

It’s been a crazy series, making the Ginebra coach uncomfortable though coming from a big 30-point triumph going to Game Five.

“That doesn’t make us secure for Game Five. We don’t know what’s gonna happen in Game Five. All it does is scare me even more because we’ve seen them fight the last time we did this (winning Game One by 28 points),” said Cone.

Indeed, the Beermen ache to fight back.

“Nakatabla lang sila (They just tied the series). It’s nothing to be ashamed of. And I’m sure our players will realize the importance of the next game,” said Austria, wary though that the Ginebra crowd might now factor in as the series is down to a best-of-three affair.

“They would have their sixth man (the crowd), and I hope our team really realizes what’s at stake in the last three games is what we worked hard for in the last three months,” Austria pointed out.

The SMB bench chieftain felt they lacked the effort in blowing a shot at a commanding 3-1 spread.

“I noticed that we became a little complacent. They thought after two blowout wins, it would be easy to win the next game, but Ginebra lived up to its never-say-die billing,” said Austria.

 Meanwhile, SMB guard Alex Cabagnot feels it’s “a bakbakan, but it’s not evident on the scores.”

And he’s hopeful they can mount a comeback as they have been doing all tournament, from their 0-3 start in the conference.

“I’m sure we’re going to have extensive video watching. We’re going to adjust, and I believe we’ll play a lot better,” he said.

For Cone, it’s a strange, crazy series that he does not enjoy.

“Either coach Leo or I don’t want to play this kind of game. It’s great when you’re on the winning side. On the other side, it’s terrible. You absolutely feel so helpless, you go home; you can’t sleep. It’s really hard to lose games like that,” said Cone.