Tim Cone on Ginebra's semis-clinching OT win over Converge: 'It just felt miraculous'

Just got lucky.

This was how Ginebra coach Tim Cone summed up his squad's thrilling 99-98 overtime win over Converge in their do-or-die quarterfinal duel in the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup Sunday, Dec. 28.

The No. 4 Gin Kings thus joined San Miguel and TNT in the penultimate round while denying the fourth-seeded, twice-to-beat-armed FiberXers a first-ever semifinal appearance in the league.

[RELATED STORY: Jeremiah Gray forces OT in Ginebra QF win vs Converge: 'Just another free throw in practice']

“I just said after the game, ‘We got lucky, we got lucky, we got lucky.’ I just could not stop repeating that," said Cone.

Cone had this to say after the Gin Kings overcame the untimely exits of Scottie Thompson and Japeth Aguilar in the crucial moments after fouling out.

Ginebra also overhauled a six-point deficit in the final minutes in a stretch capped by a Stephen Holt game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer.

[RELATED STORY: Stephen Holt lifts Ginebra past Converge in OT for semis seat: 'One of the biggest shots of my career']

The win arranged a titanic best-of-seven semifinal clash between Ginebra and San Miguel.

"Because to lose Scottie (Thompson) to foul out, to lose Japeth (Aguilar) to foul out, recovered from that four-point shot that De Liaño hit and still make that big shot at the end, it just felt miraculous to me,” said Cone.

“But when it comes down to it, our guys fought and our guys battled.”

The celebration, however, would have to wait as Cone and the rest of Ginebra will now shift their focus to the penultimate stage which begins next month.

—

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.