TNT against Barangay Ginebra — the PBA Governors’ Cup’s fiercest rivalry — is back at it.
But this time, the two squads that contested the crown in the last two editions are duking it out in the semifinals.
And this time, the Gin Kings are bringing a new piece in this familiar playoff confrontation with twice tormentors Rondae Hollis-Jefferson (RHJ) and the Tropang 5G — Jordan Murphy.
The 6-foot-6 Mr. Murphy is filling in while resident import Justin Brownlee is out on health issues. He hopes to lead Ginebra’s efforts in dethroning TNT and reclaiming the lost Governors’ Cup diadem that RHJ and Co. snatched away in Season 47.
“Man, that’s going to be a hard matchup,” Mr. Murphy said of his face-off with three-time Best Import and three-time champion Mr. Hollis-Jefferson in the best-of-five semis beginning Dec. 4.
“Obviously, he’s an elite player, he’s an elite defender. He’s a leader for that team, and he means a lot to them. Hopefully we can do our best to make it an entertaining match for everybody,” he added.
On Tuesday, Mr. Murphy got the better of his old high school buddy, George King of San Miguel Beermen, in the deciding Game 5 of their race-to-three quarterfinal duel. He dropped nine of his 31 in the fourth as Ginebra unloaded a 34-14 bomb to run away to a 110-94 clincher that cleared the path to the TNT duel.
“It’s tough to play against him. He made everything super uncomfortable,” Mr. Murphy said of Mr. King (also with 31 before fouling out), his teammate at Brennan HS in San Antonio.
“We’re good friends. I know there are no friends during the series, hopefully now we finally have the conversation and we’ll look back at this and laugh at it.” — Olmin Leyba