Ginebra coach Tim Cone in the PBA Philippine Cup. –MARLO CUETO/inquirer.net
MANILA, Philippines–Ginebra coach Tim Cone admitted that Ginebra’s current position in the PBA Philippine Cup is not something he wants to see out for his Gin Kings.
Ginebra snapped its two-game losing streak at the expense of Blackwater, 105-86, at Philsports Arena on Friday but Cone said that they’re still in the “middle of the pack.” And the veteran tactician doesn’t want that as the playoffs loom.
“For us, we don’t want to be in the middle of that pack. We really don’t want to be there. We’re a team that, historically, doesn’t play really well in the beginning then we try to find ourselves,” said Cone.
READ: PBA: Ginebra crushes Blackwater to get back on track
“Hopefully, we will pick it up towards the end and get ready for the playoffs. That’s really our goal, getting ready for the playoffs as best we can.”
As of writing, the Gin Kings have found themselves in a derby in the middle of the standings with a 4-3 card. For context, two more teams hold four wins in the all-Filipino conference in Northport (4-2) and Terrafirma (4-4).
READ: PBA: After bad loss, Ginebra tries to figure out what’s wrong
What Cone aimed for at the beginning of the season, which is a twice-to-beat advantage, is currently at the hands of San Miguel (5-0) and NLEX (5-1).
The Gin Kings, though, are looking to rise above a competitive environment where “anybody can get beaten at any given night.”
“I think it’s really great for the PBA that everybody or anybody can get beat any given night. We proved that last Sunday,” said Cone, referring to their stunning loss at the hands of the Dyip on Sunday, 91-85, at Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
“The teams that were expected to do well are doing very well and you can see that the talents and coaches have been elevated so it’s a good thing,” he added.
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The Gin Kings will travel back to Pasay this Sunday as they bolster their positioning in the league in a game against the Batang Pier.