In as much as Barangay Ginebra guard Scottie Thompson has that inherent 'Never Say Die' spirit in him, so does June Mar Fajardo and the rest of the San Miguel Beermen.
Thompson expects a huge fight back by the Beermen in Sunday's Game 6 of the PBA Governors Cup semifinals especially with their conference campaign on the line.
"San Miguel is a very tough team. We know June Mar, talagang babalikan kami niyan," said the one-time league MVP after the Kings regained the lead in the best-of-seven series, 3-2, following a 121-92 blowout win in Game 5 at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.
It's obviously an alert on the part of Thompson for the Kings to be ready for an embattled San Miguel side that would be coming to the game with its back against the wall.
It's also a way of the former University of Perpetual Help star to remind the Kings that the job isn't done yet.
"Para sa amin, wala pa kaming narating for this series. So sana makuha namin sa close out game," said Thompson.
The 31-year-old native of Davao had 18 of his 22 points in the first quarter of Game 5 as he tried to hold the fort for Barangay Ginebra in the wake of a fast start by San Miguel off the gates.
He said it was his way of bouncing back from a listless showing in Game 4 where Barangay Ginebra solely relied on the huge 49-point effort of import Justine Brownlee.
"Kailangan namin tulungan si Justine. It just so happened nasu-shoot ko yung mga tira ko and yun nakabalik kami sa game," Thompson said as the Kings rallied back from an early 13-point first quarter deficit.
The win put Ginebra on the threshold of returning back to the finals of a conference it has dominated since 2016 behind Brownlee's herocis.
But again, Thompson is not guaranteeing anything.
"It's all about ipanalo yung series na ito. But alam namin na sobrang hirap nito," he said.(RG)
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