‘Masakit sa heart…’ We heard this line from one of Ginebra’s avid fan. Somehow, he was able to voice out our feelings that night…
It was Game 6 of the PBA Fiesta Cup Finals between Ginebra San Miguel and San Miguel Beer. The Ginkings were leading the series, 3-2.They only need one more win to grab the finals championship crown. All GSM fans were hoping that they will win that night. But luck was not on our side. SMB won the game and forced GSM to a Game 7.
“Asar Talo!”That’s exactly how we felt. We could not believe that we are going home losers. We thought that it will be the end of the series, that there’s no more Game 7. And like a sour-loser that we are, we won’t admit that our team got beaten so badly. We even think that the game was given in order to prolong the finals so that PBA will earn more. We are really sure that Ginebra is going to win the series. They just want to suspense us for a bit.
Game 7, as expected, was much awaited. Araneta Coliseum was full up to roof. Even the General Admission tickets wee sold out! More than twenty thousand people went to watch the final match between the leagues top two teams, which has the biggest followers. But the fact remains that ¾ of this crowd belongs to Baranggay Ginebra.
Everyone was expecting a close match between these two teams, the sibling rivalry that’s been going on for years. I even thought that there will be an overtime game or it will be a cardiac finish. But it didn’t turn out that way. During the 1st quarter it was already clear that it will not be an easy game for the Gins. While the Beermen made it look like that basketball was not that hard, the Gins were struggling. They could not even make easy shots. There are times that SMB will let them score, still the GSM were unable to convert! It seems that we are watching an amateur game, not a Finals championship!!!
But being a true blue Ginebra fan, the ‘Never Say Die’ spirit still prevail. We still hope that someone from the team will step up and turn the ball around. Someone who would start the run, make the shots and bring the team back on track. There are times that they will make a run, and you could hear the crowds cheering them on but then SMB will soon stop them. Luck was not on our side and so was the time. As the final buzzer went off, our chance for the championship crown was snatch in our hands. We just stood there and watched, confetti’s and balloons pouring down on us, while SMB players and fans rejoicing.
It was really a sad and heart-breaking loss for the Ginebra but San Miguel deserved the crown. They have the talents and the heart to win. Even their bench players can match up to the first five of the Kings. As for the Gins, I don’t know who is to blame… Maybe it was the coaching staff, maybe the players were not hungry enough for the championship title, maybe most key players were worried about their injuries, maybe their bench was not that deep. I’m just wondering if they would win the finals if Mark Caguioa played in the series or if Jaworski was the coach or if they have the complete line up just like what the Gordon’s Gins have before?
There are a lot of ‘maybe’s’ and ‘what if’s’ but one thing is for sure, the Ginebra spirit will live on… This was proven when they received the 2nd place award. We applauded them for the efforts and hard work they had shown and as if we have won the championship we started chanting ‘Ginebra! Ginebra!’. The ‘Never Say Die’ attitude of the Baranggay Ginebra will never waver. No matter what happens their fans will support them. Not because they are the best team in the league but because they are the best team in our hearts. Hoping that the next time they enter the finals we will be the one wearing the biggest smile while singing “We are the Champion” at the top of our lungs. Then you won’t see us heaving a deep breath, shaking our heads, holding our chest while saying… ‘Masakit sa heart…’
