As I settled into my usual spot for Game 2 of this historic PBA rivalry, I couldn't help but reflect on how we got here. Just days earlier, we witnessed what I'd confidently call one of the most remarkable individual performances in recent basketball memory. That Game 6 showdown where LA Tenorio essentially willed Ginebra to an 88-87 victory wasn't just basketball—it was theater, pure and simple. The veteran guard out of Ateneo delivered when everything was on the line, forcing only the second Game 7 in the entire Ginebra-San Miguel rivalry history. That context made tonight's Game 2 feel particularly charged, like we were watching the continuation of something special rather than just another playoff game.
The atmosphere in the arena was electric from tip-off, with both teams understanding the stakes. San Miguel came out looking determined to avoid repeating their Game 6 collapse, while Ginebra seemed to ride the emotional high from their miraculous escape. What struck me immediately was the physicality—this wasn't just a basketball game, it was a battle of wills. Players were diving for loose balls, fighting through screens that felt like brick walls, and challenging every shot with an intensity you rarely see in regular season games. I've covered over 200 PBA games throughout my career, and I can count on one hand the number of times I've seen two teams go at each other with this level of ferocity from the opening possession.
By halftime, the score stood at 48-45 in favor of San Miguel, but honestly, the numbers didn't tell the full story. What stood out to me was how both coaches were making subtle adjustments throughout those first two quarters. Tim Cone for Ginebra was constantly rotating his defensive schemes, sometimes switching to zone for two possessions then immediately back to man-to-man. Meanwhile, Leo Austria for San Miguel was exploiting every minor mismatch, particularly targeting June Mar Fajouri in the post whenever Ginebra had a smaller defender on him. The strategic chess match between these two coaching legends alone was worth the price of admission.
The third quarter is where things really shifted momentum. Ginebra went on a 12-2 run over about four minutes, largely fueled by their role players stepping up in big moments. What impressed me most was how different players contributed at crucial junctures—Scottie Thompson with his relentless rebounding, Japeth Aguilar with two massive blocks that completely shifted the energy in the building. I've always believed championship teams need unexpected contributors, and tonight we saw exactly that. The crowd, predominantly Ginebra fans, reached noise levels I haven't heard since the 2016 Governors' Cup finals. There's something special about watching a team feed off that energy and transform it into production on the court.
Then came the fourth quarter drama that we've come to expect from this rivalry. With about three minutes remaining and Ginebra clinging to a four-point lead, San Miguel mounted their characteristic comeback. Chris Ross hit back-to-back three pointers that briefly silenced the crowd and gave San Miguel a two-point advantage. At that moment, I found myself thinking back to Tenorio's Game 6 heroics—would we see another legendary performance? The answer came quickly as Tenorio responded with a difficult contested layup plus the foul, converting the three-point play to put Ginebra back up by one. The sequence felt symbolic, like we were watching the continuation of his legacy.
The final minute was pure basketball chaos in the best possible way. With 15 seconds left and Ginebra up by one, San Miguel had possession coming out of a timeout. What happened next will be debated among fans for weeks. June Mar Fajouri received the ball in the post but faced immediate double coverage. Instead of kicking it out to an open shooter, he attempted a difficult hook shot that rimmed out. Ginebra secured the rebound, Christian Standhardinger was fouled immediately, and he calmly sank both free throws to extend the lead to three. San Miguel's last-second heave from beyond the arc fell short, sealing the 95-92 victory for Ginebra.
Looking at the final statistics, several numbers jump out. Ginebra shot 46% from the field compared to San Miguel's 42%, but what really made the difference was their performance from the charity stripe—Ginebra made 18 of their 21 free throws while San Miguel only managed 12 of 18. The rebounding battle was nearly even with Ginebra grabbing 48 boards to San Miguel's 46, but Ginebra's 12 offensive rebounds led to 16 second-chance points that proved crucial in such a tight contest. Scottie Thompson finished with another triple-double—his third of the playoffs—recording 14 points, 11 rebounds, and 10 assists in what I consider an MVP-caliber performance.
What stays with me after watching this game isn't just the final score, but the narrative it creates heading into the rest of the series. Ginebra has now demonstrated they can win both dramatic comeback victories like Game 6 and tightly contested battles like tonight's Game 2. The psychological edge has subtly shifted, though I'd never count out a San Miguel team with their championship pedigree. Having covered this rivalry for over a decade, I can say with some authority that we're witnessing something special—a series that will be remembered and discussed for years to come. The individual brilliance we saw in Game 6 has transformed into collective resilience in Game 2, and that evolution makes me believe we might be watching the beginning of another chapter in Ginebra's legacy.
