Tim Cone apologizes to Ginebra nation after early playoff exit

Ginebra has been dethroned as the PBA Philippine Cup champion, and Coach Tim Cone took responsibility for it. PBA Images (file photo)

By Ivan Saldajeno

MANILA--Coach Tim Cone took the blame for a seemingly forgettable campaign of Ginebra in the PBA Philippine Cup.

After winning the title last year inside the Angeles bubble, the team nearly blew it up in this year's edition inside the Bacolor semi-bubble.

The Gin Kings only got to the playoffs after beating the Phoenix Fuel Masters in the play-in match on Saturday night, but their stint came to an end on Wednesday night after the top-seeded TNT Tropang Giga took them down in their quarterfinal showdown.

Including the playoff games, Ginebra ended its stint in the season-opening conference at 5-8, a far cry from its 16-6 record last season.

"We didn’t live up to the Ginebra legacy, and that was totally my fault. I apologize to the Ginebra nation," Cone said in a tweet on Thursday.

The team had to deal as well with health issues, particularly to Japeth Aguilar, who is nursing a knee injury, and Scottie Thompson, who entered the PBA's COVID-19 protocols, even hampering its title retention bid further.

"I can’t find the words to express our sorrow and embarrassment over our performance in the bubble," Cone further said.

However, he vowed that the team will bounce back from this letdown.

"All I can say is that it won’t happen again as long as I am the coach," Cone assured the "barangay".

Follow him on Twitter: @IvanSaldajeno