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Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider Basketball devider A different ball game: Ginebra, Converge in do-or-die battle for semis berth

A different ball game: Ginebra, Converge in do-or-die battle for semis berth

Published Dec 27, 2025 12:45 pm  |  Updated Dec 27, 2025 04:40 pm

At A Glance

  • Tip-off is at 7:30 p.m. with the winner earning the chance to challenge defending champion San Miguel in a best-of-seven affair in the semifinals.
Barangay Ginebra and Converge agree that Game 2 of their quarterfinals series will be a different ball game from their previous meetings.
More so that they are now both fighting for their tournament lives in the do-or-die match on Sunday, Dec. 28 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
For the FiberXers, they are eyeing the long coveted quarterfinals breakthrough while for the Kings, they are looking at that long standing tradition of making it to the top 4 in the 11 of the last 13 conferences.
Tip-off is at 7:30 p.m. with the winner earning the chance to challenge defending champion San Miguel in a best-of-seven affair in the semifinals.
Although coming off a statement 105-85 win in Game 1 to force the sudden death, Kings head coach Tim Cone is not expecting the same story in their next meeting.
“Every game is different. I think that's one of the things we really try to emphasize. It's not gonna be the same. We know that,” said Cone.
Ginebra had a masterful showing especially on the defensive end, limiting Juan Gomez de Liano to just nine points while Justin Arana and Alec Stockton also had a hard time getting their touches after getting into early foul troubles.
And Cone isn’t seeing the Kings holding a team as good as the FiberXers down for a long time.
“They're gonna come up and I think they're young guys who are really gonna try to come back and really push hard. It's gonna be a different game. Basically, we know it's gonna be different. It ain't gonna be like this tonight,” said Cone.
For FiberXers mentor Delta Pineda, Converge needs to find a way to adjust with the officiating as for their players to be truly effective, they need to stay on the court.
“No other things to do but to adjust. Ito yung best time na for them to adjust. Kasi experience nila kung ano yung loss na ito,” said Pineda.
“Pressure pa rin po sa amin. ‘Yung mag-pressure pa rin po kami. Pero you know, ito yung mga situation na kailangan po namin dampasan itong mga ganito. It will be a pressure game for us, definitely,” he added.
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