Gin Kings storm to 3-1 series lead
Game tomorrow (MOA Arena) 7 p.m. – Meralco vs Ginebra (Finals Game 5) *Ginebra leads series, 3-1
With an intoxicating run in the second quarter, Barangay Ginebra pulled the plug on Meralco’s bid to force a stalemate.
Unleashing a telling 28-17 exchange in the second period, the Gin Kings zoomed ahead of the limping Bolts and kept their foot on the pedal to seal a runaway 94-72 victory and move on the cusp of the coveted PBA Governors’ Cup title at the Smart Araneta Coliseum last night.
Justin Brownlee, who earlier lost to Meralco’s Allen Durham in the Gatorade Best Import award, chalked up the more important result that night that backed Durham and company to a corner in the race-to-four affair.
The explosive import dropped 15 in the game-changing second to highlight his 27-point, eight-rebound, eight-assist performance while sparring partner Stanley Pringle, who shot seven in the fateful second, shot 21 overall to tow Ginebra to a 3-1 lead in front of a roaring 11,496-strong crowd.
Ginebra’s defense held Durham to nine in the first 24 minutes of play and 21 at the end of game to go with 27 boards. Meralco couldn’t get much from the rest, though, as Raymond Almazan, his front court partner, played with one good leg and managed 12 markers and nine caroms in 27 minutes.
“I thought we did a good job playing methodically, breaking them down offensively, and we did a great job against Durham. He only had nine at halftime and that’s amazing,” said Ginebra coach Tim Cone, whose wards can wrap it up tomorrow.
With Meralco up 16-14, Brownlee and company went to work and detonated a 17-4 bomb to rip the game apart, 33-20.
They kept the pressure on and led by as many as 27 at 90-63.
Cone said the dynamics of the showdown were altered by the lateral meniscus tear that Almazan suffered back in Game 3.
“Obviously, Raymond Almazan’s injury changed the complexion of the series. He showed a lot of courage playing. But we all know he’s not nearly 100 percent, he’s limping up and down the court and he wasn’t moving laterally well,” said Cone. Brownlee and Pringle had lots of inside incursion with Almazan slowed down. Scottie Thompson (16) also had his share on penetrations while Japeth Aguilar had nine rebounds that went with his five markers. The scores: Ginebra 94 – Brownlee 27, Pringle 21, Thompson 16, Tenorio 8, Dillinger 7, Aguilar 5, Caguioa 5, Mariano 3, Slaughter 2, Caperal 0, Chan 0, Dela Cruz 0.
Meralco 72 – Durham 21, Newsome 12, Almazan 12, Quinto 7, Salva 6, Maliksi 6, Caram 4, Amer 2, Hodge 2, Faundo 0, Jackson 0, Pinto 0.
Quarterscores: 14-14, 42-31, 70-55, 94-72