On Sunday, Ralph Cu once again showed he deserves more playing time for Barangay Ginebra San Miguel. The Gilas 3×3 stalwart came off the bench and sparked Ginebra to a crucial win over the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, finishing with 15 points on five triples, along with 5 rebounds and 3 assists.
Crucially, Cu was involved in two key stretches. The first came in the second quarter, when Rain or Shine looked poised to dictate the pace and was starting to find a rhythm. Thanks to two well‑timed triples from Cu, the barangay weathered the storm and entered halftime ahead, 51‑42. The second came in the third quarter, where Cu’s shooting and decisive playmaking helped Ginebra break the game open and take an 86‑70 lead into the final frame.
In short, Ralph Cu wasn’t just a spark—he was a difference‑maker.
Tim Cone Acknowledges Ralph Cu
Tim Cone, always astute with his words, lauded Cu’s contributions with effusive praise—mixed with a dose of self‑deprecation.
“This guy [Ralph Cu] just stepped up and hit big shot after big shot after big shot,” Cone told reporters. “I don’t play him enough, I know that, and when he does things like this, I feel like such an idiot because he should be out there doing that stuff all the time, and I’m always apologizing to him. I gotta learn my lesson and quit feeling like an idiot.”
From the looks of it, Cone is right on all fronts. Ralph Cu hit big shot after big shot against Rain or Shine. He’s always been a good shooter. He makes winning plays. And, yes, Ralph makes Cone look like an idiot for playing him limited minutes.
Cu, the Magic Bunot
Prior to logging 19 minutes, 49 seconds against the Elasto Painters, Ralph Cu had been playing sparingly for Ginebra. In fact, he only averaged 8.2 minutes in the team’s first 10 games. Even last conference, without imports, Cu still played just 13.5 minutes per game.
Despite the limited minutes, Cu has consistently shown he deserves more time on the floor. In this PBA Commissioner’s Cup, for instance, he is averaging 3.4 points, 1.6 rebounds, and 1.1 assists, while shooting a blistering 55.6% from distance. Every time Cone has called his number, Cu has contributed in multiple ways—whether it’s knocking down the long ball, making the extra pass, or simply playing mistake‑free basketball.
Even so, 10 Ginebra players log more minutes than Ralph Cu.
Ralph Cu Is Always Ready
Needless to say, it’s a good thing the 29‑year‑old stays ready whenever Cone remembers him. It’s why good things usually happen when the PBA’s all‑time winningest coach calls on Cu.
“I mean, ever since I was drafted, I know that Ginebra’s always going to be a deep team, and especially if Justin’s there [Justin Brownlee], a lot of minutes will definitely go down,” Cu said. “So, as a player, you just have to stay ready. Anytime your number is called, first half, second half, you just have to be ready and make an impact.”
Now, all that’s left is for Tim Cone to truly learn his lesson: Ralph Cu is an asset and a rotation player.
It will keep Cone from feeling like an idiot—or so he says. And it will allow Cu to make an impact more and more.
