Cio Galang, a die-hard Ginebra fan for over a decade, opens up about her unforgettable moment with RJ Abarrientos during the OT win over Converge in the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup playoffs.
"Para sa akin, normal lang po ’yun sa kasiyahan."
What began as a split-second moment during Barangay Ginebra San Miguel’s thrilling overtime win over Converge in the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup playoffs quickly became a viral snapshot of how deeply fans live every second of the game.
That particular moment happened late in the quarterfinals when Ginebra guard RJ Abarrientos, caught in the intensity of the celebration, accidentally pushed die-hard fan Cio Galang near the sidelines.
[ALSO READ: How one lucky Ginebra fan got a front-row moment with RJ Abarrientos]
For Galang, the now-circulating clip simply reflected the emotion of a playoff night—something she said comes naturally after years of supporting the team.
A Ginebra fan since 2015, Galang shared with One Sports that she has long admired both former and current Gin Kings, naming Sol Mercado, Greg Slaughter, and Japeth Aguilar as the players she looked up to while growing up.
Galang admitted she did not expect the moment to be caught on camera at all.
“Akala ko po wala nang camera. Nung natulak po pala ako, may video po pala ‘yon. Akala ko po wala na, tapos na.”
Despite the attention the clip received online, Galang made it clear that she felt no offense over what happened, explaining that the joy of the win outweighed everything else in that moment.
“Hindi po [ako na-offend]. Wala po talaga akong naramdaman no’n kasi masayang-masaya po ako katulad po nila [players]. Pero masayang-masaya po ‘yong mga fans syempre ayun nga po, panalo ‘yong Ginebra. Para sa akin po, normal lang po talaga ‘yon sa kasiyahan.”
The incident was later addressed during Game 1 of Ginebra’s semifinal series against San Miguel, when Abarrientos apologized to Galang and handed her a signed basketball after the game.
Galang also had a simple message for Ginebra as they went on to the semifinals.
“Good luck and galingan niyo and dapat manalo na tayo this conference.”
As the semifinals move forward, Barangay Ginebra San Miguel and the San Miguel Beermen remain locked in a best-of-seven showdown, both teams aiming to gain the upper hand in the race to the Finals of the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup.
(With reports from Gillian Trinidad/One Sports)
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Inna Mina is a sportswriter with a passion for telling stories that go beyond the scoreboard.
She covers running, athletics, and other major Philippine sporting events, while also following grassroots sports, athlete journeys, and women in sports. Her work also includes lifestyle stories on health, fitness, and community.