MANILA, Philippines – The ‘Never Say Die’ mentality is innate in June Mar Fajardo and the other San Miguel Beermen, much as it is in Barangay Ginebra guard Scottie Thompson.

With their conference season on the line, Thompson anticipates a fierce comeback from the Beermen in Sunday’s Game 6 of the PBA Governors Cup semifinals.

A former league MVP called San Miguel a tough opponent after the team reclaimed the lead in the best-of-seven series with a decisive 121-92 victory in Game 5 at the Ynares Center in Antipolo. He conveyed his admiration for their abilities, emphasizing the contribution of one of the league’s best players, June Mar Fajardo. June Mar and the rest of the San Miguel club would surely bounce back in subsequent games, the MVP said, acknowledging the struggle that lay ahead.

The player highlighted that their victory was merely a short-term edge in what was still a very fought series, alluding to San Miguel’s tenacity. Knowing that a squad of San Miguel’s ability, especially with June Mar leading the charge, would not be easily defeated, he exuded confidence while remaining cautious.

The player showed humility and a knowledge of the difficulties that lay ahead by recognizing his opponents’ strengths. He was aware that even though they were ahead 3-2 at the moment, the series was still far from finished and that they would need to be focused and ready for whatever San Miguel had in store in the upcoming games.

Thompson is clearly warning the Kings to be prepared for a struggling San Miguel team that will be entering the game with its back to the wall.

The former University of Perpetual Help standout uses it as a means of reminding the Kings that there is still work to be done.

According to Thompson, they felt they had not yet achieved anything in the series. He underlined that they still needed to do more despite their advancements. During the upcoming closeout opportunity, Thompson felt they could win the following game and end the series strongly.

After San Miguel got out to a quick start, the 31-year-old Davao native attempted to hold the fort for Barangay Ginebra, scoring 18 of his 22 points in the opening quarter of Game 5.

He claimed that was his method of recovering from Barangay Ginebra’s lackluster performance in Game 4, when they were entirely dependent on import Justine Brownlee’s incredible 49-point performance.

Throughout the game, Thompson stressed how crucial it was to help his teammate Justine. Looking back on their performance, he noted that although his shots were falling at crucial times, they were able to maintain their competitiveness because of their teamwork. The Kings had a daunting 13-point disadvantage in the first quarter, but Thompson praised his shooting for helping them bounce back from a difficult start.

He clarified, though, that the collaboration that propelled their rally was just as important to the comeback as his individual efforts. They were able to change the outcome of the game by cooperating and giving crucial players like Justine the assistance they needed. Thompson’s unselfish demeanor exemplified the team’s philosophy, which prioritized group success over individual accomplishments. Their perseverance and cooperation allowed them to rally back into the game and eventually maintain their competitiveness in spite of the difficult start.

Because of the constant bravery of their best player, Justin Brownlee, Ginebra is poised to make it back to the conference finals, a conference they have controlled since 2016. With their most recent victory, Ginebra is now only one game away from making another possible finals appearance. Their domination throughout the years, especially in this conference, has been astounding.

But even if their situation appears good, Thompson is still wary and won’t promise anything. Although he acknowledged that the work is far from done, he underlined that winning this series is the main objective. Although they are close, they are aware that the task at hand will not be simple, Thompson said.

Thompson emphasized the value of staying focused and avoiding complacency while expressing a great deal of respect for their opponents. Given the fierce competition they’ve encountered, he and his colleagues want to end the series strong and not take anything for granted.