MANILA, Philippines – In the high-stakes theater of a championship series, legendary head coach Tim Cone is choosing to put his chips entirely on the line. Following a grueling Game 6 loss that forced a winner-take-all showdown in the PBA Finals, the Barangay Ginebra mentor made one thing clear: there is absolutely zero panic regarding the sudden cold shooting night of his premier local backcourt.

Game 6 quickly morphed into an extraordinary, isolated scoring duel between two elite heavyweights. Resident Gin Kings import Justin Brownlee put the entire barangay on his shoulders, matching his counterpart punch for punch to finish with a staggering 52 points. While Brownlee was operating at an otherworldly wavelength, the local support structure uncharacteristically sputtered. Newly minted Best Player of the Conference RJ Abarrientos and veteran former MVP Scottie Thompson faced an agonizing perimeter freeze, combining for a dismal 2 of 18 clip from the floor.

The lack of perimeter relief allowed the opposing defense to continuously load up on secondary drives down the stretch, stalling the otherwise fluid Ginebra offense. Despite the sudden dry spell, Cone was quick to brush off structural concerns ahead of the ultimate Wednesday night collision at the Mall of Asia Arena. For a master tactician who has navigated dozens of pressure cooked series across his historic career, minor shooting dips are simply part of the game’s natural variance, not a reflection of a player’s true capabilities.

Cone noted that the players themselves want to make shots more than anyone else, emphasizing that you simply don’t lose faith in the core guys who got you to the grand stage. He highlighted that both Abarrientos and Thompson possess a unique, high character competitive spirit. When the floor inevitably opens up in the finale, he expects his backcourt tandem to confidently lock onto their targets.

Abarrientos, who has consistently shown ice water traits throughout his impressive rookie campaign, including nailing massive, clutch shots earlier in the series, has earned a long leash under Cone’s system. The veteran mentor pointed out that both Abarrientos and Thompson possess an elite basketball IQ that naturally corrects itself when the competitive pressure reaches its absolute peak. Rather than over-correcting their mechanical approach or over-thinking their shot selection, the mandate for the ultimate game is remarkably simple: stay aggressive, trust the process, and keep firing without hesitation.

The immediate challenge for the Gin Kings heading into the final 48 minutes of the season is restoring offensive equilibrium. Relying solely on Brownlee to generate isolation efficiency creates a predictable, static layout that a well-drilled defense can eventually exploit. To capture the crown, Ginebra desperately needs its signature transition engine firing at full capacity. Thompson’s unique ability to generate extra possessions through relentless offensive rebounding, combined with Abarrientos’ capacity to stretch opposing defenses well beyond the arc, remains the vital link to unlocking their overall half-court execution.

When those two guards are hitting their marks, it triggers a powerful chain reaction across the entire floor. It frees up the operating room for the local big men in the paint, creates wide open passing lanes, and effectively cuts down on the stagnant possessions that plagued the squad during the crucial stretches of Game 6.

With the ultimate prize of the season on the line, Cone isn’t interested in drawing up an entirely new playbook or panic adjusting his rotations. He is trusting the exact personnel that wore down the opposition all year long. The targets on the rim haven’t shifted, and the Gin Kings simply need their marquee homegrown playmaker and veteran floor general to pull the trigger with absolute confidence one last time.