Ginebra will be put to the ultimate test again as the Gin Kings face defending champion San Miguel in the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup semifinals.
Stephen Holt and the Ginebra Gin Kings are back in the semifinals—and once again standing across the floor from San Miguel Beer—as the rivals collide in Game 1 of their PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup best-of-seven showdown on Sunday, Jan. 4.
Tip off is at 7:30 p.m., at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
[WATCH: PBA LIVESTREAM: Ginebra vs San Miguel | Philippine Cup semis Game 1]
Ginebra earned its place the hard way, overcoming a twice-to-beat disadvantage and surviving a classic 99–98 overtime thriller against Converge in the quarterfinals.
The Gin Kings showed trademark grit, with RJ Abarrientos setting the tone all game long with 20 points, while Holt delivered the decisive blow—burying the game-winning triple in crunch time.
That victory pushed Ginebra into yet another high-stakes series against San Miguel, a matchup that has defined recent All-Filipino campaigns.
The Gin Kings will draw motivation from last season when they bowed to the Beermen in seven games at this same stage.
Still, head coach Tim Cone knows the road ahead will be anything but easy.
Facing a deep, battle-tested San Miguel squad led by June Mar Fajardo, Ginebra braces for another war—one that begins with a crucial Game 1 as the Gin Kings look to seize early momentum.
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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.