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No brotherly love in semis clash between Ginebra and San Miguel, says Cone

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Rom Anzures, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="PBA Images. " src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2024/life/01/23/20240123-pba-images.jpg"/><figcaption>Ginebra’s Scottie Thompson and San Miguel’s Terrence Romeo. PBA Images. </figcaption></figure></div>MANILA — Despite cruising past NorthPort Batang Pier in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup quarterfinals, the path to defending their title isn’t getting any easier for Barangay Ginebra San Miguel. The Gin Kings are up for a tall task in the semifinals as they will be facing the San Miguel Beermen in a five-game series that will start on Wednesday at the Araneta Coliseum. There would be no brotherly love, however, as Ginebra mentor Tim Cone said that it would be an all-out affair between the two San Miguel Corporation-owned teams. “It’s always something special when we go against San Miguel. We’re like brothers fighting for the attention of the big bosses. It’s a real rivalry, and it’s not that friendly either,” Cone told reporters following their win last Friday at the PhilSports Arena. <ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/01/20/24/will-tim-cone-be-the-permanent-head-coach-of-gilas">Will Tim Cone be the permanent head coach of Gilas?</a></li></ul>“It’s one of the best rivalries in the PBA, San Miguel and Ginebra.”Still, the Gilas Pilipinas coach is wary of the rampaging Beermen, especially as they are riding on a six-game win streak.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/01/20/24/tim-cone-shares-thoughts-on-gilas-pilipinas-program">Tim Cone shares thoughts on Gilas Pilipinas program</a></li></ul>“There’s a lot that we need to clean up before we could beat San Miguel,” Cone admitted.Cone also added that having import Bennie Boatwright makes SMB even more lethal, given how he compliments San Miguel superstar June Mar Fajardo’s inside presence. “We’ve tried really hard not to focus on San Miguel. I haven&#x27;t really done a lot of study on San Miguel yet, but I do know that Bennie Boatwright is a tremendous import,” said Cone about the reinforcement who has been averaging 40.3 points, 13.3 rebounds, and 4.0 assists in four games with SMB so far.<ul class="op-related-articles">	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/01/07/24/boatwright-explodes-for-51-as-smb-thwarts-terrafirma">PBA: Boatwright makes San Miguel history in win against Terrafirma</a></li>	<li><a href="https://news.abs-cbn.com/sports/01/19/24/pba-cruz-boatwright-lead-smb-vs-ros-to-book-semis-ticket">Cruz, Boatwright lead SMB vs. ROS to semis ticket</a></li></ul>“Any time you get a tremendous import matched with June Mar, that’s a tough mountain to climb. They’re scoring in bunches and they&#x27;re gonna dictate the game.”Jorge Gallent’s squad is also undefeated since getting Boatwright on board, a testament to how he has complemented the playstyle not only of Fajardo, but the whole SMB team as well.That is why Cone compared him to another sweet-shooting big man who also displayed a similar role playing alongside June Mar — former SMB star Arwind Santos. “Bennie Boatwright is like Arwind Santos times two, or times five, or maybe times 10. That was what made June Mar so great oftentimes all through those years, having Arwind Santos there sitting on top and keeping defenses honest,” said Cone.Since taking over Ginebra during the 2015-2016 season, Cone has had countless battles against Santos, Fajardo, and the rest of SMB’s ‘Death Five’, most of them either in the semis or in the Final.That is why the former San Mig Coffee Mixers mentor is very familiar with dealing with Santos. “Bennie’s got that and he’s even better than Arwind,” he said.Despite this, Coach Tim knows that this Beermen team is a whole new different animal, especially since they have even added more talent in Don Trollano and Jeron Teng. This, according to Cone, is what makes them the team to beat amongst all semis contenders. &quot;They filled the positions that they weren’t necessarily deep in. They’re getting healthy at the right time, so in my mind, of all teams, they’re the team to beat,&quot; said Cone.“It’s a dilemma that all teams are gonna try to figure out. We&#x27;re going to try and figure it out. If we can’t, we’re not going to win the series,” he added.Asked what he thinks Ginebra should do to overcome SMB, here is what he had to say.“We’re just gonna have to find a way to make them uncomfortable.” <div>RELATED VIDEO</div><figure class="op-interactive"><iframe allow="autoplay; fullscreen" frameBorder="0" height="100%" id="ivsplayer01" scrolling="no" src="https://player.ivideosmart.com/ivsplayer/v4/dist/html/iframe-src.html?iframeid=ivsplayer01&amp;key=e8c22c015ca9eafa76f1e3edfa03c603&amp;spid=3001339&amp;vid=2938958" width="100%"></iframe></figure><div class="iwantbar">Watch more News on <a href="https://www.iwanttfc.com/#!/browse/Genres/News/tag_id_genres/id_news" target="_blank">iWantTFC</a></div>

Despite cruising past NorthPort in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup quarterfinals, Ginebra’s path to defending their crown isn’t getting any easier. 

No brotherly love in semis clash between Ginebra and San Miguel, says Cone

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No brotherly love in semis clash between Ginebra and San Miguel, says Cone

Rom Anzures,

ABS-CBN News

Published January 23, 2024 06:50 PM PHT

Read More:

Basketball

PBA

PBA Season 48

PBA Commissioner’s Cup

Barangay Ginebra San Miguel

Ginebra

BGSM

Tim Cone

San Miguel Beermen

San Miguel SMB

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