Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings huddle after a play in a PBA Philippine Cup game against NLEX Road Warriors. –PBA IMAGES
MANILA, Philippines — There were no excuses from Scottie Thompson and Ginebra, only credit for NLEX on Wednesday night.
The Gin Kings dropped a tough 89-86 loss to the Road Warriors in the PBA Philippine Cup at Ninoy Aquino Stadium, and Thompson didn’t shy away from giving the surging squad its flowers.
READ: PBA: NLEX thwarts Ginebra comeback to push streak
“We have no excuses. We have to work harder in practice… Sayang (too bad), that’s all we can say,” said Thompson in Filipino.
“They [NLEX] played great on both ends—offense and defense. I think they’re the number one team defensively right now, so credit to NLEX, their coaching staff, and their preparation against us.”
‘SAYANG TALAGA’
Scottie Thompson laments Ginebra’s close loss to NLEX that sent the Gin Kings to 2-2 for the conference. | @MeloFuertesINQ pic.twitter.com/DutdjtdOFr
— INQUIRER Sports (@INQUIRERSports) May 7, 2025
The Gin Kings slipped to 2-2 in the standings, while the Road Warriors tallied their fourth straight win after dropping their season-opener to San Miguel Beer last month.
NLEX led by as many as 17 points before Ginebra stormed back with a 33-point fourth-quarter surge.
READ: PBA: Jayson David reintroduces himself in Ginebra return
But despite their comeback push, the Gin Kings fell just short. Thompson acknowledged the team’s efforts but admitted the loss still stung.
“There’s no excuse, like I said. Of course, our shoulders are down because we lost. But there’s still a long way to go in this conference. We still have time to bounce back. Let’s see,” he said.
“For now, we’ll move on and prepare for our next game since it’s an out-of-town game.”
Thompson turned in another all-around performance with 20 points, six rebounds, and four assists on 50 percent shooting—but it wasn’t enough.
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Stephen Holt, Jamie Malonzo, and RJ Abarrientos also chipped in 21, 11, and 11 points, respectively, in a losing effort.
Next up for Ginebra is Converge on Saturday at the Bren Z. Guiao Convention Center in Pampanga.
