But no, coach Jong Uichico would be the first to say otherwise.

“I have been here for four years and the team that we have now is just different,” said Uichico, not sounding elated at all after his Kings erased a nine-point deficit in the final 2:06 to hammer out a 93-90 victory over Barako Coffee for a 5-4 record to end their first round stint in the PBA Fiesta Conference at the Araneta Coliseum.

“I just can’t figure out why,” he said. “We can’t go on winning this way. If we want to have a good conference, it cannot be this way. It was good that we won the game, but the way we won it was ugly.

“It just wasn’t (the old) Ginebra out there tonight.” Eric Menk worked his butt out in resuscitating the faltering Kings in the stretch, touching off Ginebra’s fiery windup with five straight points that overhauled an 81-90 deficit with 2:06 left.

And while most coaches would be jumping for joy after an effort like that, Uichico was the complete opposite, appearing in the customary winning coach’s interview not flashing the look of a winner.

“For sure we’re not playing well,” Uichico said. “Even in the first half, when we were leading by eight, it just wasn’t Ginebra. Sometimes you play well and lose, tonight we played bad and won. But how can you play against the best teams if we play this way?” Import Mildon Ambres gave a good account of himself, firing 27 points and clearing 20 boards, his offensive rebound off a Willie Miller miss and the ensuing putback with 18.6 seconds remaining giving the Kings the upperhand, 91-90.

The Coffee Masters had a chance to snap a long spell after that, but import Sammy Monroe was called for a traveling violation after the ball got wedged between his legs while he was going for a drive.

Miller was then sent to the line off a duty foul by Gerwin Gaco with 6.5 seconds remaining, with the two-time MVP calmly making both free throws to round out scoring.

A desperation heave by Al Vergara was all air, sealing the Coffee Masters’ seventh loss in nine games.

Monroe went on to lead the Coffee Masters with 27 points, 11 rebounds, seven assists, six blocks and five steals. But Barako Coffee took that nine-point lead after getting 12 points from Reed Juntilla and 10 from Leo Najorda in the fourth period.

Juntilla wound up with 23 markers, his career-high, while Najorda tossed in 16.

“I wish I knew,” Menk, who finished with 20 points, said when asked what he thought is plaguing the team. “Obviously, we’re very talented, but talent doesn’t win games all the time. It’s a team game.

“We have a lot of players who can win one-on-one battles out there,” the 2004 MVP added. “But obviously, it’s a game of five against five.” In the second game, Anthony Johnson scored 36 points, including the final four from the stripe inside the last 23.9 seconds, to lift Sta. Lucia to an exciting 91-87 victory over Alaska.

The victory put the Realtors at 4-5, and it could mark the last win of the Sta. Lucia franchise with Kelly Williams as negotiations for the former MVP’s transfer to Talk ‘N Text are expected to be completed by both teams today.

“Is it bitter sweet? I really can’t say,” coach Boyet Fernandez later told reporters. “I’m happy that we got this win, to close out the first round strong. But I cannot imagine my team without my MVP.” Williams will transfer to Talk ‘N Text, a deal that is expected to be announced today as Sta. Lucia willingly gave up the 2008 MVP for him to be able to play for Smart Gilas, which is the Philippine team, in three major international tournaments.

Diamon Simpson led the Aces with 31 points and 19 rebounds with Cyrus Baguio chippin in 14. LA Tenorio contributed 13.

Williams had 15 points, nine boards and four steals for the Realtors.