IT came from coach Tim Cone, no less.
Until someone can consistently prove that they can beat San Miguel Beer, the Beermen are the undisputable PBA All-Filipino kingpins.
But, of course, everyone is determined to crush the norm, alter the fact or sway the tide.
Cone and his chargers have had their victories over June Mar Fajardo and the Beermen, and the Gin Kings are raring to pull another one, looking to come out and battle in their PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup Last Four confrontation starting Wednesday at the MOA Arena in Pasay.
They clash at 7:30 p.m. in the kickoff of their side of the best-of-seven semis series - a collision between two raging forces determined to chase their aspirations.
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Forget that San Miguel Beer is the top seed and Ginebra is just No. 4. Both are highly motivated and driven by a great resolve, with SMB still out to make a worthy season following poor runs in the first two conferences and the Gin Kings aching to make the finishing kick they failed to unleash in runner-up windups in the Governors' Cup and in the Commissioner's Cup.
It's a rematch of their Governors' Cup semis clash but it's an entirely different showdown as they march into the warfront without reinforcements, meaning no Justin Brownlee for the Kings.
Cone said they're facing tall odds while tangling with the Beermen in their staple tourney. "It's their conference," said Cone.
Even with revisions in the SMB lineup, the Ginebra mentor said nothing has changed for the Beermen from their "Death Squad" with a run of five straight All-Filipino championships from 2014 and a total of six Philippine Cup crowns counting their last in 2023.
To many, the defeat of JMF and Co. to Meralco in the last Philippine Cup finals has made San Miguel Beer a tougher mountain to climb in this tourney.
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There's also Leo Austria with his personal goal in his return as SMB bench chieftain.
Cone, however, said San Miguel is always there, a giant wall a team has to topple to win a PBA championship.
"That's the runway we're given and that's the runway we've got to go through," said Cone, long enough in the league to cherish things and fret not.
It's Fajardo with CJ Perez, Moala Tautuaa, Don Trollano, Chris Ross, Marcio Lassiter, Juami Tiongson, Jericho Cruz and Rodney Brondial as core SMB players. To be unleashed as Ginebra lead forces are Aguilar, Jamie Malonzo, Troy Rosario, Scottie Thompson, Stephen Holt and RJ Abarrientos.
San Miguel and Ginebra finished with identical cards with NLEX and Magnolia in the elims at 8-3. Both the Beermen and the Kings rolled to the semis with quick work of the Bolts and the Converge FiberXers, respectively, in the quarters.
And they're now ready to leave everything on the floor in their much-anticipated playoffs face-off.(SB)
