Hot kings clinch semis

Barangay Ginebra San Miguel kept its status as the hottest team of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup last night after completing a best-of-three quarterfinal sweep of Meralco, 10490, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

A telling sequence in the final second of the second quarter allowed Ginebra to create a big breakaway in the third quarter and secure a bestof-five semifinal clash against the winner of tonight’s do-or-die quarterfinal match between top seed Rain or Shine and eighth-ranked GlobalPort.

Rain or Shine and GlobalPort will meet tonight at the Mall of Asia Arena after the latter forced a rubber match with a 114-113 win Tuesday night on Jonathan Grey’s corner three-pointer with 11.5 seconds left.

Ranidel de Ocampo’s deliberate foul enabled Scottie Thompson to split his two free throws before Joe Devance beat the clock with a jumper that put Ginebra ahead 56-51 at the break.

It turned out to be the momentum Ginebra needed as Justin Brownlee and Joe Devance combined for 14 points in the third before building an 18-point lead in the fourth.