A Possible Upset: Three Reasons Why Meralco Can Beat Ginebra

The 45th season of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) is entering the near end of the Philippine Cup with the semifinals beginning on Wednesday. The main event will feature the start of a new chapter in the rivalry between the Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings and the Meralco Bolts. 

Jump Thru Hoops aired its 14th episode on Tuesday wherein Jinno Rufino and Aaron Atayde discussed the stories in the pair of best-of-five semifinal series primarily how the Bolts could take down the top-seeded Gin Kings inside the Clark bubble. While Ginebra has been beating Meralco in the past particularly in three of the past four Governors' Cup finals, there's something that could give Meralco a slight advantage over the Gin Kings: the absence of actual fans in the game.  As Atayde put it, "It's not gonna be Barangay Big Dome. It's not gonna be the Ginebra Arena. It's not gonna be that. It's going to be AUF Arena in Pampanga,"

But the absence of the Ginebra fans inside the venue isn't the only reason why Atayde thinks Meralco can score an upset in this series.

Pointing out that the Bolts of Coach Norman Black are coming off that quarterfinal victory against the San Miguel Beermen plus how Meralco got into the playoff picture, Atyayde said, "I think Meralco has a bit more of momentum on their side," 

Perhaps, the third reason is the most important reason why Meralco can actually take a rare series victory against Ginebra.  "This is only a five-game series. This is not a seven-game series. If this is a seven-game series and you're coming off back-to-back games against San Miguel, that would be a completely different story. And now that they have more rest, they get more prep (preparation time), they have momentum on their side, I think Meralco has their best chance ever of beating this team (Ginebra)," Atayde explained.

For Rufino, it's about revenge. "This is their revenge series. As you said, it's a five-game series This is primed for an upset. If there's ever a time that Ginebra is suspectable of losing against Meralco in a series, it's this one. I think the Meralco players know this,"  

Wrapping up the discussion, both gentlemen agreed in saying that whoever wins Game One on Wednesday will win the series. However, even Atayde admitted, "If Ginebra is able to catch off the guard on that jab, come up with the right hook and knock them (the Bolts) out in the first game, Meralco is gonna be in trouble,"

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