HoopWatch

Let me reiterate that before the season began, Ginebra Gin Kings Rudy Hatfield and Mark Caguioa boasted that they would eventually bag the Philippine Cup trophy.

It looked like they were headed to just that, the title I mean, when they thrashed newcomer Welcoat Dragons via a 102-69 rout on opening night. But there have been doubts along the way. They lost some close decisions, a memorable one to eventual Finals foes San Miguel in overtime. This happened when the Beermen engineered two big trades where they acquired All-Stars Lordy Tugade from Red Bull, and center Rommel Adducul from, guess who, Ginebra. This also happened on a night when Danny Seigle returned to the Beermen’s line-up, and torched every other opponent thereafter, and became the second leading scorer in the Conference just behind Caguioa.

No, they were not on top of the standings from the onset. That spot was secured for the most part of the tournament by Sta. Lucia Realty. They were even, for some time, at the fourth and fifth slots in the standings.

And then the New Year began, and they were on a roll. They regained their swagger that they lost and started winning games. The Gin Kings mightily reclaimed the top spot, and finished at 13-5, a tie with San Miguel (but they had the higher quotient over SMB which landed them the first place and the right to automatically advance to the Semi-Finals).

They appeared heading to the limelight, and everyone expected them to breeze thru the Play-offs. But a dagger was stabbed in their hearts as they lost former PBA MVP Eric Menk to injury. Menk missed the whole semi-final series against the Talk N’ Text Phone Pals. Without the burly Menk, it appeared that the Phone Pals bulky center Asi Taulava (another former MVP) would have no resistance from the Ginebra side. But Ginebra’s resilience denied the Phone Pals a return trip to the Philippine Cup Finals, which they last won in 2003. They won the series in six games.

Then the Finals began, and that promise of bringing the whole Ginebra community back to the pinnacle of PBA greatness seemed hanging in the balance as they were routed by San Miguel in two successive games. Caguioa and Hatfield appeared to be embarrassed, and the confidence has waned.

But Ginebra remained true to its slogan – “Never say die.” And it was best exemplified when they won (ala-Miami Heat) four straight games to bag the title last night (Friday). They massacred the Beermen by 30 or more points in Games 3 & 4. They came from behind in Games 5 & 6 to win their seventh title.

San Miguel was in command in the second quarter in the sixth and final game, leading by as much as 16, 41-25. Ginebra started their comeback bid in the third behind eventual Finals MVP Jay-Jay Helterbrand. The savvied 6-foot point guard shot three pointers and jumpers, and topscored for Ginebra with 20 points. San Miguel last held a huge bubble at 75-65, after a Seigle lay-in, 10 minutes remaining in the final canto.
Then Ginebra had enough at that point. Behind Helterbrand, Caguioa and former NCAA MVP Sunday Salvacion, the Gin Kings shut down the lanes preventing a basket from San Miguel. The Beermen went scoreless in three minutes, and Ginebra finally tied the tally at 75-all after a Helterbrand three-pointer. Then the “Finals” began.

The two teams exchanged baskets after baskets. After a Tugade three gave San Miguel their last lead of the game, 94-92, Salvacion hit a jumper to tie the count. SMB guard Dondon Hontiveros muffed a wide-open lay-up, which led to an isolation play for Helterbrand. He drove hard to the basket as was fouled. He calmly made two free-throws to give the Gin Kings the edge 96-94, with 2.9 seconds remaining.

� Tugade missed a corner trifecta, and Olsen Racela’s game-tying follow-up was nullified as it failed to beat the buzzer.

The whole Araneta Coliseum burst into wild celebration, as the pro-Ginebra crowd jubilantly shouted for the crown reclaimed. Their darling Ginebra team is back on top of the PBA, the best of the best once again.

Ginebra’s “Never Say Die” philosophy has saved them once again. They also came back down 0-2 to capture the crown against Shell in 1990.They refused to slither down, and kept true to their words. They did not rebuild and made two blockbuster trades just to win a title in the future. But they badly wanted it now! Their story is a reminder that the road to success is not always a smooth one. There will always be bumps and bruises along the way. The true winners are not the ones who are always lucky in life, having the right things at the right time, where everything is set for them. But the true victors are the ones who rise when they fall, who never give up even in the face of defeat, and the ones who remain resilient and persistent despite all the naysayers, heartaches and pains.

I am no Gin King fan, but I salute them. Ginebra rose each time they fall, and regained their confidence each time they are humbled. They remained persistent for the love of the their ever-supportive fans all through the years, and to fulfill a promise that they have always intended to keep. Mabuhay Ginebra!
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