BARANGAY Ginebra is beat up with its long season but continues to win games.

And the Gin Kings hope to stay on a roll even as they expect a tough challenge against a NorthPort side led by returning local top gun Robert Bolick in their game in the PBA Governors’ Cup Friday at the MOA Arena in Pasay City.

Ginebra is banking on its next-man-up mantra with injuries to LA Tenorio, Christian Standhardinger and Japeth Aguilar, and the Kings have managed to run a streak of come-from-behind wins over the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters (116-108) and the NLEX Road Warriors (114-111).

Stepping up to the plate are the likes of Jeremiah Gray, Nards Pinto and Raymond Aguilar.
“Next man mentality has been a big thing around the world in basketball,” said Ginebra coach Tim Cone. “It provides an opportunity to step in and get extra minutes and extra touches. It also asks guys that are playing regular minutes, they have to step up their game.”

Pinto stole the moment at endgame versus Rain or Shine, then Gray took his turn to shine the last time out versus NLEX.

And it gives Ginebra boost, hope and confidence the team can go on, compete and eventually contend in this conference it has won four times in its last five stagings.

But there would be challenges along the way, the next one could be from a NorthPort side hoping to snap a winless campaign with the help of Bolick.

The 6-foot-2 hotshot is set for his conference debut after finally coming to terms for a contract-extension deal with NorthPort.

Team manager Pido Jarencio said Bolick has started practicing with the Batang Pier in preparation for the 5:45 Friday tiff with the Kings.

Minus not just Bolick but the injury-hit Arwind Santos, the Batang Pier dropped their first four games against Converge, Meralco, NLEX and Phoenix.

They have to start winning now or would be in a tight spot this early in the conference.

And so they face the Kings in a critical tiff in a rematch of their Commissioner’s Cup quarterfinals face-off.

As the higher seed, the Kings imposed themselves against the Batang Pier, winning the best-of-three series in two games.