Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings coach TIm Cone during a PBA Philippine Cup quarterfinals game against Converge FiberXers. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net
Barangay Ginebra coach Tim Cone is embracing the task of facing sister team San Miguel Beer in the PBA Philippine Cup semifinals after arranging that matchup with the quarterfinal conquest of Converge on Friday.
The Gin Kings and the Beermen are set for a best-of-seven showdown starting Wednesday and Cone described it as something his team would have to face regardless of their quest to win the prestigious conference.
HIGHLIGHTS: PBA quarterfinals – Meralco vs San Miguel, Ginebra vs Converge
“If you’re gonna win an all-Filipino, you have to go through San Miguel at some point,” Cone said after the 88-80 win at Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
“Whether it’s the quarterfinals, semifinals or Finals, you have to go through them for a chance to win a championship,” he continued. “That’s the runway we’ve been given and that’s the runway we have to go through.”
It will be the second time this season that the two storied ballclubs under the San Miguel Corporation banner will face off in the semifinals.
Ginebra defeated San Miguel, 4-2, in the Final Four of the PBA Governors’ Cup, with Japeth Aguilar playing a key role in that meeting, with the crowd favorites being reinforced by import Justin Brownlee.
Aguilar is expected for another tough battle with June Mar Fajardo, who led San Miguel past Meralco, 108-97, in the other quarterfinals matchup, on Friday.
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