Barangay Ginebra shoots for a return trip to the finals when it looks to finish off NorthPort Barang Pier in their semifinals showdown in the 2019 Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup.
Leading 2-1 in the best-of-five series and already on the hill, the Gin Kings are looking to finish off the Batang Pier in Game 4 at 7 p.m. at the Smart Araneta Coliseum tonight.
The Gin Kings duplicated in Game 3 what it did in Game 2, routing the undermanned Batang Pier, 132-105, with ease Wednesday night to gain the series upper hand.
“We won the last game big but still, that’s just one win,” said Ginebra coach Tim Cone. “We still need one more to advance so we’re gunning for another one.”
Should Ginebra make it to the big stage, it will be its third finals appearance in the Governors’ Cup in the last four seasons.
It won back-to-back championships in 2016 and 2017.
Justin Brownlee was his smooth self in Game 3, firing a conference-high 41 points and 11 rebounds to pace his squad.
The Gin Kings dominated Game 3 the entire way and even led as much as 32 points.
Still, NorthPort knows it is still breathing and is looking to make another charge to save its season.
“We won four knockout games, basically, to make it this far and we’re used to it,” said NorthPort star Sean Anthony. “We hope that it can be to our advantage so we can keep going.”
Should NorthPort force a deciding Game 5, it will be scheduled on Sunday.
Meanwhile, TNT and Meralco are going hard at each other, as of press time, as they both shoot for a 2-1 lead in their own semis series.
