San Miguel Beermen import EJ Anosike against Ginebra defenders in Game 4 of the PBA Governors’ Cup semifinals. –PBA IMAGES
MANILA, Philippines—Scottie Thompson knows Barangay Ginebra needs do to a lot more to stop San Miguel Beer’s most formidable weapons in the form of twin towers June Mar Fajardo and EJ Anosike.
After the Gin Kings’ 131-121 Game 4 loss in Game 4 of the PBA Governors’ Cup semifinals, Thompson rued his team’s foiled attempts to slow down Fajardo and Anosike in their best-of-seven series so far.
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“We’re like the underdogs inside [the paint],” said Thompson in Filipino at Araneta Coliseum on Wednesday.
PBA: San Miguel frustrates Ginebra, Brownlee for 2-2 PBA semis tie
“We need to work as a team. It can’t be just our bigs against June Mar and their import, it has to be all of us against June Mar and their import. We really need to work together.”
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WATCH: Scottie Thompson on Ginebra’s Game 4 loss at the hands of San Miguel Beer. | @MeloFuertesINQ pic.twitter.com/ZbCnKOsQ6v
— INQUIRER Sports (@INQUIRERSports) October 16, 2024
Fajardo, in the usual MVP fashion, tallied 29 points and 16 rebounds for the Beermen while Anosike posted 27 points and 11 rebounds, spoiling a jaw-dropping showing from Justin Brownlee, who finished just two points shy of his career-high with 49 points.
READ: PBA: Ginebra puts bitter taste of Game 2 loss behind
But with how neck-and-neck the series has gone, Thompson expects his team to make the necessary adjustments with the semifinals down to a virtual best-of-three.
“We knew this was going to be a very tough series for us so all we can do now is to keep moving forward. We had a bad game but the series is tied. We still have a chance. This is a best-of-three now,” said Thompson, who finished with 15 points, eight assists and four rebounds in the defeat.
“Whatever game plan we’ll have for the next one, I hope we can execute it. We know they’re a champion team. They know how to play the game, especially in aseries like this so we really have to increase our efforts.”
San Miguel Beer and Ginebra clash for the rights to a 3-2 lead on Friday at Ynares Sports Center in Antipolo.
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