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SMART CLARK GIGA CITY – Understanding the pressure of being the top seed is what coach Tim Cone would want his Barangay Ginebra San Miguel to realize heading into the 2020 PBA Philippine Cup quarter-finals.
The Gin Kings achieved pole position last Monday following their 102-80 demolition of Terrafirma, meaning they would have a quick route to the semi-finals as they are armed with an incentive to win once for the previous round.
But then the most successful mentor in the league knows that nothing is guaranteed even with such high status.
“When you are the number one favorite, everyone assumes that you will reach the final, and that is not always the case,” he said.
“So you have to make sure the guys understand that it’s a luxury to be number one, but it’s no guarantee.”
Cone himself has been there. Back at the 2018 Governors’ Cup, Geneva looked poised to dominate the season-ending tilt for the second time in a row when they clinched first place, only to fall to Magnolia in the semi-finals.
According to the league’s chief statistician, Fidel Mangonon III, Barangay failed to win a title in the last three times they got no. 1 seed. The last time they led the playoffs and won it all was in the 2006-07 Philippine wars.
It will be seen how much the Gin Kings have captured as the top ranked team when they face Rain or Shine Friday, when the quarters finally begin.
The Elasto Painters trailed twice to win after suffering an 88-90 loss at the hands of Phoenix last Wednesday, such a painful loss as they had a real chance of winning and claiming second place only to collapse.
Coach Caloy Garcia’s squad then dropped to no. 8 and will head into the game with little recovery – their game against the Fuel Masters was their sixth game in eight days.
It may seem that the odds are not in their favor, but Rain or Shine actually have Geneva’s number, as they defeated the most popular team in the league by an 85-82 decision in overtime on October 27.
The game is at 6:45 p.m. M., Y will be the main setting for a double game that will also feature five-time reigning champions, San Miguel Beer, face Meralco in a battle for the fourth and fifth seeds at 4:00 p.m. M.
