Jeremiah Gray played a crucial part in Ginebra’s overtime win over Converge that gave the team the third ticket to the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup semifinals.
Jeremiah Gray checked in with Ginebra’s PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup semifinal dream hanging in the balance in the waning seconds of regulation.
Gray delivered, canning three pressure-packed free throws that sent the game into overtime.
There, the No. 5 Gin Kings completed a 99-98 escape over fourth-ranked, twice-to-beat-armed Converge that gave them entry to the penultimate round Sunday night, Dec. 28.
“Coach (Tim Cone) subbed me in the game. I knew we still have a chance. I was saying that to my teammates all the time,” said Gray, who finished with nine points.
“I’m just happy they called the foul for us. God was with me on that free throw line and let me knock them down. I’m just happy we came out with the dub.”
Asked how tough it was to make those crucial shots, Gray said it felt like it was just another day in the office.
“We practice free throws everyday. I just took it as just another free throw in practice,” Gray said.
“I knew what we had to do: knock them down and just give our team a chance to win in the overtime, and we got it done.”
Gray went on to laud his fellow Gin Kings as they recovered from six points down in the extra period to claim the win, thanks in large part to Stephen Holt.
Holt drilled in the game-winning three-pointer over the outstretched arms of Converge big Justine Baltazar.
[RELATED STORY: Stephen Holt lifts Ginebra past Converge in OT for semis seat: 'One of the biggest shots of my career']
“I’m just glad my teammates played to the final buzzer. Everyone fought hard from top to bottom. I’m just glad we came out with the win,” Gray said.
(With reports from Gillian Trinidad/One Sports Digital)
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Like most sportswriters, Jan Ballesteros once dreamed of becoming a professional hooper. But he learned the hard way that it’s not for everyone.
He continues to be involved in the sport he loves, but this time as a member of the PBA Press Corps. Aside from primarily covering the PBA, he is also assigned to cover Gilas Pilipinas.