BY NOLI CORTEZ
MOST armchair observers would likely view Ginebra's 108-82
overpowering win over Red Bull last Sunday as the continuation of a streak.
Kings coach Jong Uichico, however, prefers to see it as
typical of his team's resolve.
"We don't think about the streak. We just keep on trying to
win as many games as we can," Uichico said during the post-game interview at the
Astrodome. "Ang posisyon namin noon is: It's a must-win every game. Nangyari
lang na nag-streak kami."
And what an amazing skein it has been. The win was Ginebra's
ninth straight, the best run assembled by any team this season and definitely
the franchise's best.
More important, it gave the Kings the kind of fiery start
they wanted in their Smart PBA Fiesta Conference best-of-seven semifinals series
with the Bulls that fittingly opened up before a sellout crowd of approximately
11,000.
Uichico said it's a matter of maintaining the attitude that
steadily gained momentum after their dismal 0-5 start in the season-ending
tourney.
"Even now every game is important," he said. "In the
quarterfinals, every game is important. It's the same thing now."
Besides, a win in the opener of a race-to-four duel is
nothing to crow about.
"First game lang 'yan, it doesn't mean anything," he pointed
out.
"It's a seven-game series and we know what Red Bull is
capable of doing. They just didn't shoot well today. We know that things will
even out later on. So kailangan handa palagi kami."
Still, there was something he definitely liked about the
wire-to-wire win.
"We came out with a defensive mentality, except for some
parts in the first half where it became a shootout, us thinking that we can just
outshoot Red Bull," he said.
The Bulls made it to the semis as the second automatic
qualifier behind elims topnotcher Air21.
The knowledge that Red Bull is a team one doesn't trifle with
is something Uichico can't stress enough.
"We know that as this series goes on, Red Bull can come
back," he said. "We know that Red Bull is capable of playing better than what
they did today. And I know that (Red Bull) coach Yeng (Guiao) is addressing that
right now in the dugout."
Game 2 of the duel is set tomorrow and there's enough time
for Ginebra to savor the win, no matter how hard Uichico tries to downplay it.
The Kings reigned practically on all fronts, quickly
establishing control and immediately taking away the sizzle in the
highly-awaited match-up.
It didn't help that the Bulls came out flat and struggled all
evening, committing 27 errors and yielding 25 turnover points. The Kings, on the
other hand, gave away only two turnover points.
Chris Alexander asserted himself in the shaded lanes from the
opening tip and Jayjay Helterbrand waxed hot from the field, helping Ginebra set
the tone early.
The other Ginebra locals took the cue and ultimately
overshadowed their Red Bull counterparts. In all, six Kings finished in double
figures. Only Leo Najorda and Jojo Duncil put in twin-digit output for the
Bulls.
