Poy Arum was heading back to the TNT dugout after a lopsided win in Game 5 that kept Tropang Giga one step away from repeating as PBA Governors Cup champions, when a Barangay Ginebra fan couldn’t help but notice the veteran center. But shouted.
“Iyakin (crybaby)!” The fan yelled at Erram, who flashed a wide smile as he gave high fives to his teammates as Tropang Giga enjoyed a 99-72 defeat of the Gin Kings on Wednesday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
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“Our goal was to be aggressive,” Arum said, noting he has been labeled as such after painful playoff losses in the past. “We kept our focus on ourselves, not on the referee or the crowd.”
Despite taking a 2-0 lead in the series, Erum and Tropang Giga are close to a last laugh victory, getting two chances to do so starting with the sixth game at the Big Dome on Friday at 7:30 pm.
Staying composed will be one of the keys for TNT to win its second consecutive title and 10th overall, as well as survive and counter what Ginebra is doing to force a decisive Game 7 at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City on Sunday. will be.
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Ginebra played flat throughout Game 5, as TNT jumped out to a 9-2 run behind seven points from old hand Kelly Williams, before Tropang Giga took advantage of cold Ginebra shooting to take a 56-33 lead at the break. .
JB’s career is at a low point
Justin Brownlee was held to a PBA career low of eight points, the first time the resident reinforcement and perhaps the heart and soul of Ginebra failed to break double figures in his career. Coach Tim Cone ultimately decided to rest Brownlee early in the second half when he felt he was beyond his means to return.
“It doesn’t matter whether we lost by one point, or we lost by 30. The last thing is that we lost,” lamented Cone, who despite the disappointment insisted he didn’t care about the final score. The possibility of no return remains.
“I know our fans feel bad about it, our team feels bad about it [it]But the bottom line is, it’s just one game in the series,” he said.
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Stephen Holt had a quiet outing and Maverick Ahanemisi was non-existent after playing key roles in Games 3 and 4. Rookie RJ Abarrientos struggled once again.
But TNT’s Chot Reyes, hoping to join Cone, Baby Dalupan and Norman Black to become the fourth coach in PBA history to win 10 championships, is worried about what Ginebra might be able to do.
,[Brownlee] Had an off-night, but we know it won’t continue in the next game,” Reyes said. “And Coach Tim rested him early on, kind of prepared him for the one step back, two steps forward attack. So we just have to be prepared.
“We know he (Brownlee) is going to come out [hard in Game 6]Also the entire Ginebra team,” Reyes added. “We just need to make sure we stay on our toes, and be ready for a big Ginebra battle in the next game.”
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And if legends like Williams and Jayson Castro can continue to come to Tropang Giga, there’s a good chance the Governors Cup trophy will be raised and confetti will be flying around the Big Dome by the time the final buzzer sounds.
“We just have to come out with a sense of urgency,” Reyes said.
