Kings oust Beermen
E-PAINTERS FORCE DO-OR-DIE VS TNT
Game today (Smart Araneta Coliseum) 7 p.m. – Meralco vs Blackwater
Barangay Ginebra crushed San Miguel Beer’s grand slam aspiration and made a huge step in achieving its own goal – title repeat – as the Kings reigned over the Beermen, 104-84, in their PBA Governors Cup quarterfinals showdown at the MOA Arena in Pasay last night.
The Kings methodically established control in the second quarter and kept the pace through the second half to advance to the best-of-five semifinals, awaiting the winner of the Rain or Shine-TNT KaTropa quarters matchup.
Rain or Shine banked on a torrid outside shooting to build a 20-point lead that provided enough cushion against TNT’s endgame chase as the Elasto Painters topped the Texters, 106-102, to force a sudden death in their showdown.
J’Nathan Bullock fired seven-of-12 three-pointers, Gabe Norwood rifled in four treys while Chris Tiu, Don Trollano and Beau Belga combined for five triples as the E-Painters outgunned Jason Castro and his teammates, thus foiling the Texters’ first crack at the best-of-five semifinals.
The two teams meet again tomorrow in a do-or-die setto.
“Like in this game, (from 20 points down) they were able to adjust. They did something new in the fourth and caught us by surprise,” Garcia added.
Unable to recover from their meltdown in their last game in the elims against the Meralco Bolts, the Beermen couldn’t keep up with the Kings and kissed their Triple Crown bid goodbye.
Justin Brownlee erupted for 37 points and his key local teammates also came through with solid performances as they progressed to the semis of this tourney they won over Meralco last year.
The Kings dealt the Beermen a decisive beating, handing coach Leo Austria and his troops their worst loss in the season.
“Who would have thought we could do that? Nobody saw that coming,” said Ginebra coach Tim Cone.
“We played great from start to finish and they struggled all game long. It’s the worst time to happen for them. We caught them on our good night and a bad night for them,” Cone added.
Also enjoying a good night were the E-Painters.
“From the beginning, I believe we have a good matchup with them from the import to the locals,” said Rain or Shine coach Caloy Garcia, expressing high confidence against the Texters whom they routed in their elims showdown, 105-73.
Garcia, however, said they have to come up with something different in their rubber match if they’re to steal the series from the playoffs second seed.
“We have to do something new. It’s going to be a duel of strategies,” he said.
“Like in this game, (from 20 points down) they were able to adjust. They did something new in the fourth and caught us by surprise,” Garcia added.
The E-Painters were held to four points in the last six minutes of the game, but a free throw each by Maverick Ahanmisi and Norwood at the finish thwarted the Texters’ siege.
Their 16-of-43 threepoint shooting early on proved to be the key as the E-Painters lived to play another game.
“I encourage them to take it. I’d rather them take open shots than to turn the ball over,” said Garcia, still finding a lot of able gunners from his roster in the absence of the injury-hit James Yap.
The scores: First Game RAIN OR SHINe 106 – Bullock 31, Norwood 15, Almazan 13, Ahanmisi 10, Tiu 10, Trollano 10, Cruz 8, Belga 5, Borboran 2, daquioag 2, Ponferada 0.
TNT 102 – Williams 23, Castro 22, Semerad 19, Rice Jr. 19, Rosario 10, Pogoy 7, Seigle 2, Tautuaa 0, Reyes 0.
Quarterscores: 26-28, 52-47, 84-75, 106-102. Second Game GINeBRA 104 – Brownlee 37, devance 17, Aguilar J. 13, Slaughter 13, Mercado 9, Tenorio 8, Thompson 7, Mariano 0.
SAN MIGUeL 84 – Watson 30, Fajardo 19, Lassiter 13, Cabagnot 8, Santos 6, Ross 5, espinas 3, Rosser 0, de Ocampo 0.
Quarterscores: 23-23, 45-32, 74-61, 104-84.