Tim Cone unfazed by RJ Abarrientos’ shooting woes in Barangay Ginebra’s Game 1 PBA semifinal win

Barangay Ginebra San Miguel displayed their never-say-die fighting spirit—well-known to fans across the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA)—as they mounted a massive 18-point comeback against rivals San Miguel Beermen on Wednesday, June 25, at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City, winning Game 1 of the Philippine Cup semifinals, 73–71.

Barangay Ginebra struggled for long stretches of the game before making a late surge to victory. While veteran Japeth Aguilar top-scored with 18 points, it was the exceptional performance of star guard Scottie Thompson that drew high praise, as he battled through cramps to help secure the win.

However, their star guard RJ Abarrientos had a game to forget, struggling with his shooting—as evidenced by a disappointing 1-of-12 stat from the field. The 25-year-old, widely considered the top candidate for the PBA Rookie of the Year award, managed just two points in nearly 26 minutes of playing time.

Despite Abarrientos’ poor outing, Barangay Ginebra head coach Tim Cone was not overly concerned, backing the guard to rediscover his shooting form as the series progresses.

“I don’t think you will see another game like that in the rest of the series for RJ. He is going to be a huge part of our offense. That was kind of our missing link tonight—RJ not hitting open shots,” Cone said after the win.

Justine Baltazar would capture the PBA Rookie of the Year award if he & his camp didn’t delay his Converge debut. But after missing the first conference, Rj Abarrientos is practically a shoo-in to win it.

Sedrick Barefield spent a lot of time injured or tbh, half-assing things.

— PBA insider 🏀 (@PBAinsider) June 23, 2025

Abarrientos was not his usual self from the field, making only 1-of-5 two-point attempts while missing all six of his three-point shots.

“We begged RJ to shoot. Tonight, he had a really tough shooting night. He is getting better at being aggressive and looking for shots. But he had a tough shooting night tonight,” Cone added.

Despite his struggles, Abarrientos still contributed to the victory by providing scoring opportunities for his teammates with seven assists and also grabbing five rebounds.

The 25-year-old has established himself as a key part of Barangay Ginebra since being selected third overall in the 2024 PBA Rookie Draft. He averaged 14.6 points during the Philippine Cup elimination round and entered this game coming off a 21-point performance against the Converge FiberXers in the quarterfinals last Friday.

Cone and Abarrientos’ teammates will hope he bounces back as Barangay Ginebra looks to take a 2-0 series lead when the teams face off in Game 2 on Friday, June 27, at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

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