|
VERGEL Meneses, Jun Limpot, Bal David, Mark Caguioa, Ronald
Magtulis, Banjo Calpito, Elmer Lago, Jayjay Helterbrand, Wilmer
Ong, Coach - Allan Caidic
They are the members of the phenomenal Barangay Ginebra ballclub.
A parade of players who epitomize the unbridled passion of
the common folks. They approach the game with a trite never
say die attitude, of never giving up even if the odds are
against them, even if the chips are down, even if the critics
are merciless. At the start of the PBA season, who would have
thought that they would reach the finals? Perhaps not even
them. But they have the fans. The fans never lost hope. They
believed and their belief was unwavering. It fueled Barangay
Ginebra's intensity and coaxed the team to give their all.
If the diminutive David could slay Goliath then could Barangay
Ginebra overcome height and heft to beat powerhouse San Miguel
Beer and win the prestigious All Filipino Cup? Almost but
not quite. Eventually the mighty Beermen followed the script
to a tee, extinguishing the eternal flame of Barangay Ginebra
Kings in Game 6 of the best of seven series in overwhelming
fashion, 95-75, four games to two.
 For
the Barangay Ginebra Kings, it was an arduous road to the
finals. Seeded only fifth after the eliminations, they weren't
even supposed to win against Purefoods TJ Hotdogs, seeded
fourth. Not even once. Purefoods boast two seven-footers plus
four-time MVP Alvin Patrimonio. Ginebra had to win twice in
order to secure a berth in the semis. It wouldn't be easy
considering the other side is taller and were last year's
runner-up.
The first game was a pulse-racing 77-76 squeaker by Barangay Ginebra
made possible by a blinding thrust to the hoop by the Aerial
Voyager Vergel Meneses. With eight seconds left, the Gins
were trailing by a point when Meneses took the inbound pass,
dribbled past his defender and with the other Purefoods players
camping in the perimeter, the 1995 MVP drove straight to the
hoop for the uncontested lay-up. The fist-pumping Meneses
was then flanked by his teammates amid the roars of a partisan
Ginebra crowd.
 If
Game 1 was a lucky break, Game 2 was a miraculous long-shot.
In do or die match for both teams, neither club gave an inch
nor surrender more than a four-point lead. With eight ticks
left, and Purefoods up by one, 69-68, Bal David, penetrated
the lane, ripped a shot but missed, however sophomore Ronald
Magtulis pulled the rebound in traffic, with time running
out, in the most awkward of position, about 12 feet away,
threw a hail-mary in the air and scored. Eeerie. Ginebra won
70-69. The fans were sent to rapture.
Only a year ago, the Gin Kings were in eighth place and reached
the quarters through the backdoor. Their roster at the threshold
was deemed weak on paper. But one key move by Coach Allan
Caidic in the off-season changed the team's chemistry and
fortune. Mark Caguioa from Glendale Junior College in California,
the surprise no.3 pick turned out to be an amazing firepower,
bustling a lightning-quick first step, a deadly outside shot
and shake and bake moves reminiscent of Allen Iverson. Sporting
dyed-blonde hair, the 5-11 guard quickly endeared himself
to the entire cagedom and was conferred the monicker Mark
the Spark, through his flamboyant heroics.
With the impetus to reach the finals for the first time since the
1997 Commissioners Cup, the Kings moved on to face, in a best
of five, top-seed Formula Shell Turbochargers, a franchise
loaded with talented big men and reliable guards . To subdue
the Turbochargers would need not only luck but a barrage of
perimeter shots as Shell would surely rule the boards.
The Kings took Game 1, 90-78, thanks largely in part to Mark Caguioa
who kept Shell at bay, Meneses on the bench and his defense
pinned to the ground with killer crossover moves. Again it
was Mark the Spark, who came out sizzling in Game 2, drilling
the running looping jumper with 5.3 seconds left in a tight
ballgame. Ginebra won 74-72.
 But
Shell is a resilient team and it was none more than apparent
than in Game 3 and 4 when they evened the series through their
players hot shooting and heads-on play.
In the clincher, Ginebra was unstoppable, carving out a 75-66
win in a highly-emotional match before a big crowd at the
big dome. Jun Limpot made the difference, playing with no
relief, scoring 20 points, grabbing nine rebounds, to reach
the finals for the first time in 356 games as a pro player.
Limpot is an emotional subplot to the series, one of PBA's
most talented but often criticized as an underachiever for
failing to reach the finals in seven seasons as Sta. Lucia's
franchise player.
Entering the finals, Barangay Ginebra were the virtual underdogs.
San Miguel is a powerhouse team with the two Danny's, Seigle
and Idelfonso, both exceptional big men with high-percentage
outside shots and a line-up that resembles the murderous row
of the New York Yankees. For the Gin Kings to win a game in
the best of seven would be an achievement. To win the series
would be unbelievable.
San Miguel came out blasting in Games 1 and 2, repulsing
Ginebra's fire. San Miguel led all the way in Game 1 in an
81-75 decision. Game 2 saw eight deadlocks and several lead
changes but the Beermen wound up winning by 17.
Given up for dead, and with every one expecting a sweep,
the Kings pulled one back in Game 3. Magtulis preserved the
win with two offensive rebounds with less than a minute left,
securing a two-point victory, 82-80. The win snapped a streak
of nine straight losses to San Miguel. Ginebra hadn't beaten
the Beermen in over two years.
In Game 4, SMBs dynamic duo - Seigle and Idelfonso were completely
off and failed to score in the clutch, while the Aerial Voyager
was scorching hot with 11 of his 20 points in the pivotal
third in a 81-64 rout.
But one cannot completely handcuff the two Danny's without
expecting repercussions. Although the pressure was debilitating,
San Miguel lived up to their billing in Game Five. Nick Belasco's
crucial block off Limpot which may or may not have been a
goaltending set-up the Beermen for the go-ahead basket but
they rimmed out the hoop. In overtime, San Miguel showed their
experience and won by three, 98-95.
The Beermen didnt let Game 6 slip away as they finished off their
sister team, 95-75, in front of record crowds. We came here
as the underdogs in terms of crowd support but my players
fought well despite such adversities, said SMB Coach Jong
Uichico, who joined the elite company of Tommy Manotoc, Baby
Dalupan, et al as the only coaches to win three different
titles in a row.
For Barangay Ginebra to reach the finals was no small feat. Despite
what Coach Uichico said, crowd support could not compensate
for talent and experience. The Gin Kings lost to a better
team. But there is always room for improvement. It is a young
team, with Limpot and Meneses as the only veterans. The finals
experience have surely enriched their competitive spirit.
The Commissioner's Cup is Ginebra's chance to vindicate the
Game 6 loss. But it would not be easy. San Miguel is still
the prohibitive favorite to walk away with the title. Realistically,
Barangay Ginebra is only the fifth or the sixth choice. But
who cares about forecasts. They proved in the All Filipino
that they could play big when it mattered. With their brand
of magic, Barangay Ginebra would continue to captivate the
Filipino basketball fans.*
|
