For most other teams, two finals appearances would be an accomplishment already. Not Barangay Ginebra San Miguel. This is a team built to win championships, not finish as bridesmaids—and certainly not twice to the same team in the same season.
Yet that’s exactly what happened to Ginebra, who lost to the TNT Tropang 5G in both the Governors’ Cup and Commissioners’ Cup—the latter ending in heartbreak for the barangay in the final game of what was a truly an epic series.
Now, Team Never Say Die will be one of several teams that will look to play spoiler to the Tropang 5G’s march to history, which incidentally will also begin later today. In fact, Ginebra is one of the teams expected to make a serious push for the PBA Philippine Cup title thanks to its stacked lineup bannered by former MVP Scottie Thompson and Rookie of the Year frontrunner RJ Abarrientos.
Will Ginebra’s Talent Be Enough?
Then again, talent has never been the question for Ginebra. It has always had it even after giving up former MVP candidate Christian Standhardinger and veteran scorer Stanley Pringle in a trade with the very same team it will face to start off its Philippine Cup campaign—the Terrafirma Dyip.
Two of the three players they acquired from that trade—Stephen Holt and Abarrientos (as the third pick of the 2024 PBA Draft)—have showed out for the barangay and will again be expected to carry a big load for the crowd darlings along with Thompson. Veteran big man Japeth Aguilar will also be counted on to elevate his game without hulking imports crowding the paint, while Jamie Malonzo looks poised for a stronger campaign after returning from calf injury last conference.
The talent doesn’t stop there. Troy Rosario has gotten more familiar with Tim Cone’s trademark triangle and will be looked on to play even better. Jeremiah Gray, who played spot minutes in the Commissioner’s Cup after recovering from a second ACL, could be due for a return to form, potentially giving Ginebra another knockdown shooter.
Ginebra’s shock troopers—Ralph Cu, Nards Pinto, and Aljon Mariano, in particular—are also solid role players who can contribute quality minutes. Even the ageless LA Tenorio can still give spot minutes.
But as Ginebra’s two finals losses proved, great talent doesn’t always result in championships. Cone and his words will have to figure out what else they’re missing that’s hindering them from winning it all.
That quest starts today against Terrafirma.
