Gin Kings eye revenge vs Korean ballclub

MANILA, Philippines — Never-say-die Ginebra collides with South Korean ballclub Changwon LG Sakers anew today at the Smart Araneta Coliseum as part of the Gin Kings’ final build-up for the upcoming 2019 PBA Governors’ Cup.

Coming off a 90-100 loss to the same squad in their first scrimmage earlier this week, the Gin Kings look to exact revenge in their 6 p.m. match, and use it as a springboard heading to the season-ending conference, which fires off on Friday at the Mall of Asia Arena.

“Playing the Koreans is always a treat and a learning experience, and a chance to improve. We hope it gets us back on track to win a championship,” Ginebra head coach Tim Cone told The STAR.

Expected to spearhead the Gin Kings’ charge is Greg Slaughter, who spent most of the off-season polishing his game under assistant coach Kirk Collier aside from the regular Ginebra practice.

Ginebra also welcomes the return of injured cogs Art dela Cruz, Jeff Chan and Jared Dillinger, joining mainstays Japeth Aguilar, LA Tenorio, Scottie Thompson and Stanley Pringle in a bid to regain the title in the season-ending conference after being dethroned by Magnolia last year.

“We like the progress that Greg has made during the break as well as the return to the line-up of Art, Jeff and Jared,” added the multi-titled mentor, who is also banking on ever-reliable Justin Brownlee.

The three-time PBA champion Brownlee has been the Gin Kings’ resident import since 2016 and will be on his fifth straight tour of duty with the team both in the Commissioner’s Cup and Governors’ Cup.

A familiar import in Vernon Macklin, however, will stand in front of Brownlee and Ginebra as he is tasked to lead the way for Changwon.

The 6-foot-10 high-flyer served as Ginebra’s import back in the 2013 Commissioner’s Cup when the Gin Kings made an improbable finals run as the seventh-seed under former coach and now team manager Al Francis Chua.

The second matchup between Ginebra and LG Sakers marks the 70th Friendship Anniversary of the Philippines and Korea.They first played in 2014 when LG Sakers eclipsed the Gin Kings, 81-76.