Barangay Ginebra is looking to get its title-retention bid back on track when it takes on the slumping Rain or Shine in the 2023 PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Friday, Nov. 24.

The Kings are not only raring to get past the still winless Elasto Painters in the 8 p.m. encounter and pick up their win No. 2 but also to erase the bitter taste of their 26-point meltdown against the Magnolia Hotshots last Sunday, Nov. 19.

Raising the curtain to the main event, meanwhile, is a clash between Phoenix and Blackwater at 4 p.m., with the former hoping to build its first win streak in the season and the other aiming to snap a two-game slide.

Although he insisted that the Kings must try to put the game behind, Ginebra head coach Tim Cone admitted that it was a difficult game to forget especially with the victory seemingly already at its hands if not for the huge collapse.

“It was a difficult game to swallow. I think the last time I lost a 25-point plus lead that I can remember was in 2002 or something like that with Ryan Gregorio he came back when I think we had a 28-point lead,” said Cone.

Of course, import Tony Bishop, along with Scottie Thompson, Maverick Ahanmisi and Christian Standhardinger are out to prevent that from happening again especially against the Elasto Painters still groping for their footing in the conference.

Pondering possible changes to the team after dropping its first three games, Rain or Shine head coach Yeng Guiao seems like to be giving import Dajuan Summers another chance of proving himself or, otherwise, he will likely be given the pink slip if he, once again, fails to perform to expectations.

An able crew of young guns like Andrei Caracut, Gian Mamuyac, Santi Santillan and Keith Datu will try to help Summers in that cause as they are also set to be put to a test against a champion crew like the Kings.