The saga continues.
The brewing rivalry between Barangay Ginebra and Meralco resumes as their anticipated grudge match gets more fire in the finals of the 2019 Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup.
Game 1 of the best-of-seven championship showdown between the two protagonists is slated today at 7 p.m. at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Gin Kings and the Bolts are set to meet again in the finals of the season-ending tournament for the third time in four years.
In their first two meetings, Ginebra took both the championships in 2016 and 2017.
Now, it’s once again a tossup as the Gin Kings want to continue their supremacy, while the Bolts are finally looking to breakthrough and get one.
“It probably could go Game 10, if necessary, if that’s a possibility,” emphasized Ginebra coach Tim Cone. “We feel like this will go down to a Game 7. That’s normally the case if you have two really good teams going at it.”
The last time the two teams met in the finals in the 2017 version of the tourney, it went the distance in Game 7, with the Kings emerging victorious.
“We feel like we’re in a better shape now with all our additions,” said Meralco coach Norman Black. “We are hungry and fresh and we will be ready in case it does go into Game 7.”
Rival reinforcements Allen Durham and Justin Brownlee will once again spearhead their respective teams’ championship bids, with prolific casts alongside them.
This third duel between the two hungry franchises was arranged after quality triumphs in the semifinals.
Stamping its superiority, Ginebra outclassed NorthPort, 3-1, in their best-of-five clash in dominant fashion.
Meralco took a longer path to get to the finals, going the distance before outlasting sister team TNT KaTropa in five grueling games in the semis.
The Bolts are still in search of their first PBA championship since rejoining the league in 2011.
On the other hand, Ginebra shoots for its 12th overall crown.