The series is tied at 1-1 and we should witness a crazy Game 3 battle as both will engage in a war for that elusive momentum.
The Meralco Bolts
Meralco delivered a great bounce back performance in Game 2 following their disappointing choke job in Game 1. That 104-102 win, where the score didn’t indicate the control Meralco had all game, there was poise, discipline, and confidence to every play they ran and shot they took.
The Bolts have played solid basketball in both of the series’ games, and definitely showed that they are the team that wants that championship more, and they know that, so that too will be in their morale for tomorrow night.
Import Allen Durham had team-highs in points and rebounds in Game 2, but lied low for the most part, so much so that only took 14 shots and didn’t have solo lead in field goal attempts. It was an excellent sign for everyone in the team, especially Durham, as it will allow him to trust his teammates more.
Durham will still be the focal point of attack but we can know start expecting more locals to shine more. The locals had five guys scoring in double figures and the group collectively hit 13 of the finals record-setting 16 three-pointers.
The Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings
Ginebra trusted their comeback power and that reliable energy from the crowd a little too much in Game 2. They looked overwhelmed that Meralco came out swinging again. The first quarter ended on a 31-8 run in favour of Meralco, and from there, Ginebra was on a tough chase until the final buzzer.
The Gin Kings will have to come out with more energy and assertion for Game 3 if they want to take some of the momentum back.
Justin Brownlee will be Justin Brownlee, and he’ll get his stats, but the key is more consistent production from the locals outside of Japeth Aguilar. Greg Slaughter is on top of that list as he was a liability in Game 2. He was awful in 12 minutes of action and ended up with a -19 plus-minus.
The guards will simply have to play better too. LA Tenorio was flattened after a strong Game 1 showing (shot 3-for-12 in Game 2) and Scottie Thompson can’t seem to build anything offensively. Stanley Pringle’s 23 points this past Tuesday led all locals but he too has to show that he still possess his scoring prowess from his NorthPort Batang Pier days.
PREDICTION:
The Gin Kings showcase an all-around effort and take the series lead with a 105-100 win. Brownlee will have his 30-plus but expect the Ginebra locals to make up for that underwhelming performance in Game 2.
