PBA: Tim Cone on Ginebra’s Game 1 performance: Ugly, embarrassing

By Jonas Terrado

Game Today
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
7 p.m. — NorthPort vs Ginebra
(NorthPort leads series 1-0)

Barangay Ginebra San Miguel coach Tim Cone refused to make the recent Southeast Asian Games stint as an excuse for the lackluster showing in Saturday’s 124-90 loss to NorthPort in the opener of their PBA Governors’ Cup semifinal series.

Back in his familiar long sleeve and tie, Cone watched in horror as Ginebra was beaten soundly by an underdog NorthPort squad that played with tons of energy at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Kings had no answers for import Michael Qualls, who dropped 38 points, the activity of Christian Standhardinger on both ends and the hot-shooting of Garvo Lanete in the fourth quarter.

“It was a very ugly performance. It was embarrassing,” said Cone. “They wanted it more than we do.”

Cone lamented on how his team got beaten in aspects as evident with its 36-percent clip and 18 turnovers.

NorthPort made 46-percent of its shots highlighted by 19 threes while capitalizing on Ginebra’s miscues with 11 steals and 21 turnover points.

“They surprised us with their zone,” lamented Cone. “We didn’t handle the zone well and they changed the defenses up. They came in with a really good game plan.”

On the other side, a beaming NorthPort coach Pido Jarencio was in a jovial mood, though stressing that Ginebra remains the favorites.

NorthPort now prepares for a big response from Barangay Ginebra as it tries to go for a commanding 2-0 lead in Game 2 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Jarencio stressed that Saturday’s victory is not indicative of how the series will play.

“We caught Ginebra on their off night,” Jarencio said after NorthPort won its fifth straight game since going 3-6 late in the eliminations.

“Siyempre si Tim Cone mag-adjust yun kaya kailangan mag-adjust ulit. Siguro medyo maluwag yung zipper, medyo itaas para sumikip yung zipper.” said Jarencio.

Import Michael Qualls will play another crucial part in keeping NorthPort’s motor going.

Christian Standhardinger, showing no signs of SEA Games fatigue, is out to play another important role to complement the likes of Sean Anthony, Garvo Lanete, Sol Mercado and Nico Elorde.

Ginebra could only hope that the Game 1 disappointment will result in a much-improved performance.

Key for the Kings is more production on offense, particularly from those who came off the SEA Games.

Stanley Pringle was the top local scorer with 21 points but Greg Slaughter, Japeth Aguilar and LA Tenorio combined for only 15.

Source: Manila Bulletin