After an embarrasing defeat in Game 3, Barangay Ginebra ties the series in Game 4, , 130-100 at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Read: Barangay Ginebra disappoints fans in Game 3
The Gin Kings ensured that the Beermen won’t repeat the clobbering they received in Game 3 and tieing the series 2-2 was a big psychological advantage to them. Many observers believe that this PBA Commissioner’s Cup would take both teams to the best-of-seven series and it would be a nailbiting game.
With fire in their belly, Barangay Ginebra blasted San Miguel Beer which elated Gin Kings coach Tim Cone. After the winning the game 4 Cone said, “This was strange. And if you think you won big that you’re going to win the next game, it scares me even more. But I have to remind my team that this doesn’t make us secure coming into Game 5.” And “It happened to us after Game 1”, Cone added.
San Miguel coach Leo Austria said, “It’s my turn to tell coach Tim ‘nice bawi”. Austria went on by saying, “Before this game, Cone kept telling me that we were too good for them and that we’re too strong. He now knows that that’s not true.”
Tomorrow is the schedule of Game 5 at the Big Dome in Cubao and both coaches know how imporant this game is.
In closing, Austria said, “For sure we will have sleepless nights and we will show them (players) the importance of the next game. What was lacking was our effort and by effort, I mean outworking the opponent. We had a lot of that in Games 2 and 3”.
For his part, Cone said “This has been a strange series, never seen one and never been in one before. I think what happens is that you have two explosive teams and if you allow one team to get momentum, it’s hard to break because they are that good.”
“So whoever grabs momentum keeps it rolling so far,” he said. “I’m kind of speechless here. I don’t know what to say about it.”
Meanwhile, it was not a surprise for June Mar Fajardo to win a seventh straight Master Sardines Best Player of the Conference award. Fajardo finished No. 1 in the statistical points race and got all 37 first place votes from the covering media. While Ginebra’s Justin Brownlee won the Best Import trophy, the first of his career.