Fans will give Brgy. Ginebra the edge in ‘Finals Trilogy’, says Tim Cone

Brgy. Ginebra and Meralco will face-off in the Finals of the Governors’ Cup for the third time in the last four years.

The Gin Kings defeated the Bolts in the championship round of the 2016 and 2017 editions of the season-ending conference but failed in its three-peat bid last season as the crowd darlings succumbed to sister team and eventual champion Magnolia in 4 semifinal games.

The year, Grand Slam-winning coaches Tim Cone and Norman Black return to the penultimate stage with their rejigged squads with one hoping to make it three-in-a-row and the other hoping to end the other team’s dominance over them.

Cone, who is one title away from equaling Robert Jaworski’s record of 4 championships with the team, believes that while the Bolts are hungrier given that they haven’t won a title yet, the crowd factor will be a more potent weapon come game time.

“I think if there’s an edge that we have, it’s always the Ginebra crowd and the Ginebra fans. They push us to greater heights all the time,” explained Cone. “That’s the beauty of being with Ginebra. You have that constant pressure from the fans to keep on playing on your highest level.”

“The only way to counter Meralco is with our fans. Sixth man of Meralco is their hunger and their motivation from losing the last two series. But our Sixth Man is our fans. Without them, it’s gonna be tough for us to beat them,” added the well-loved American mentor.