By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
No matter how hard the Meralco Bolts tried, Barangay Ginebra still got the last laugh.
Seeking to write the same ending in the final chapter of their storied rivalry, the Ginebra squad took down Meralco in Game 6, 103-92, to reign supreme in the 2022 PBA Governor’s Cup grand finals.
The huge series win rewarded Ginebra with another grand finals victory over the Bolts and are now 4-0 when going up against them since having Allen Durham as their import several years ago.
Despite a banged-up season with star guard Stanley Pringle and forwards Joe Devance and Jarred Dillinger ruled out of the conference due to their respective injuries, head coach Tim Cone made the most out of his remaining guys and turned misfortunes into gold.
Veteran point guard LA Tenorio played the best game of the series after dropping an insane 30-point masterpiece, a fitting ending to a grueling six-game stretch where he mostly struggled and was held below his averages by the physical Meralco team.
The PBA multi-champion started the game waxing-hot and scored Ginebra’s first five points off a deuce and a sweet-arching three-pointer.
As the game progressed, questions started to float after the Bolts only held super import Justin Brownlee to just two first half points and was swarmed every time he caught the leather.
Best Player of the Conference Scottie Thompson and Christian Standhardinger then took matters into their own hands and kept Ginebra within striking distance as Brownlee struggled entering the third quarter.
In just a blink of an eye, Meralco’s lead started to vanish quickly as Brownlee found his shooting rhythm and fired 22 second-half points to make up for his sloppy first half.
Tenorio then put on the finishing touches including the dagger three-pointer with 1:13 remaining in the game which extended their lead to 13, 101-88.
“It was such a delight, such a joy to bring these guys to the promised land in front of all of you,” Ginebra head coach Tim Cone said.
Despite the loss, head coach Norman Black and Meralco are still optimistic heading into the next season and are eager to chase for the trophy no matter how many times they fall.
