Meralco after playing spoiler to Ginebra's title bid: 'We just wanted to win the game'
MANILA, Philippines — Defending champions Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings are in danger of missing out on the quarterfinals of the PBA Philippine Cup after losing their final game of the eliminations on Thursday against their rival Meralco Bolts, 79-66.
This despite it being a non-bearing game for the Bolts, who already had the second seed locked in.
But according to Bolts head coach Norman Black, it was just business as usual for his team who wanted to enter the postseason on a high note.
"We just wanted to win the game," said Black.
"I know we've played them a lot over the years... but you know, it's a game that just happened to be at the end of this conference and we wanted to go into the playoffs with some momentum," he added.
The Bolts have not yet won a PBA championship, and they wanted to go into the Philippine Cup Finals in Bacolor, Pampanga, with all the momentum that they could muster.
Fate just aligned that it would be the Gin Kings standing in the way of Meralco in the final game of the eliminations.
Regardless of who they faced, Black said the Bolts were out to win the game.
"We didn't want to go to the playoffs with a loss, it just happened that Ginebra was our opponent tonight," he said.
The Bolts finished with a 9-2 record and will face the NLEX Road Warriors with a twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals.
Meanwhile, the Gin Kings will take on the Phoenix Fuel Masters in a knockout game for the final spot in the quarterfinals on Saturday.
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