By Musong R. Castillo
Philippine Daily Inquirer
First Posted 02:09:00 07/15/2009
MANILA, Philippines - Barangay Ginebra takes the first of two chances to wrap up the Motolite PBA Fiesta Cup when the Gin Kings slug it out with the San Miguel Beermen tonight at the Araneta Coliseum.
Game 6 of the best-of-the seven series is set at 7 p.m. with momentum logically on the side of the defending champion Gin Kings, who have not only managed to hold their own in a series where San Miguel Beer is favored to take, but also flaunt control when they need it.
Shortly after masterfully carving out a 106-98 Game 5 win Monday night, however, coach Jong Uichico talked with his emotions in complete check.
“You like to be up 3-2, but we all know what San Miguel is capable of doing,” Uichico reminded scribes. “We hope we can play better on Wednesday. We hope we can get luckier on Wednesday.”
Not many predicted this series to even go past five games. And the most surprising fact is that Ginebra is the one in the lead.
San Miguel win tonight would forge a do-or-die Game 7 on Friday.
“The next game, I’m still very optimistic about it,” San Miguel’s Siot Tanquingcen said. “God gave us the opportunity to be here, there are at least eight other (eliminated) teams out there who would die to be where we are.
“There’s nothing to feel bad about being 2-3 down. They need one game (to clinch the title), we need one game (to stay alive), we just need to do things right.”
Not since the Tanduay-Shell series at the turn of the century has a title duel featuring one team labeled as an overwhelming favorite and one tagged as a terrible underdog.
The disbanded Turbo Chargers, starring two-time MVP Benjie Paras, won that series against a San Miguel-like team in the Rhum Masters that had all the trimmings of a powerhouse squad led by Eric Menk, Sonny Alvarado, Jeffrey Cariaso and Pido Jarencio.
Ginebra hasn’t been given much of a chance to prevail with Mark Caguioa out for the season, Jayjay Helterbrand nursing a hamstring injury and Menk in the twilight of his career.
But Uichico and his gang have added to the Ginebra legend of never quitting and prevailing despite the odds.
David Noel will again lead the Kings, hopefully in the same devastating manner he did Wednesday night when he scored 13 of his 29 points in the fourth quarter.
Out to back him up will be Helterbrand, who still managed nine points and four assists despite being less than 100 percent, and a slew of role players led by Menk.
This series is looking like a virtual repeat of how Menk also came out of injury bay last season to lead the Kings to the title opposite Air21 and win the Finals Most Valuable Player award.
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