Ginebra hardly showed any struggle following a major roster shakeup, instead submitting a consistent outing to beat TNT, 92-77, for its first win of the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup, Wednesday at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
Expected to adjust after trading Maverick Ahanmisi and Aljon Mariano, the Kings proved otherwise by roaring to a 40-16 lead in the game’s first 15 minutes and never looked back toward atoning for their opening night loss to Magnolia.
“We hate to see both of ’em go. But one wanted to go, and one didn’t, but that’s just the business of the PBA,” offered head coach Tim Cone.
(C) PBA Images
Japeth Aguilar top-scored for the crowd darlings with 17 points and 10 rebounds plus a block on his way to earning Player of the Game honors.
RJ Abarrientos supplied 14 points. Troy Rosario notched his own double-double of 13 points and 13 rebounds while the trio of Scottie Thompson, Stephen Holt, and Norbert Torres added 10 points apiece in the balanced attack.
It wasn’t all smooth-sailing for the Barangay, though, as the Tropang 5G leaned on the hot hands of Simon Enciso to put up some fight.
The seasoned gunner fired all 17 of his points in the fourth quarter to help last season’s double champions cut the gap to just 11 twice in the fourth.
But Aguilar was there to arrest the drought, scoring back-to-back hits before Rosario scored inside to push their lead to 82-65 with 5:33 remaining
The game would never be in doubt afterwards, with Jeremiah Gray nailing a trey and Thompson going perfect from the line to make it an 87-67 lead with 3:40 left.
“We weren’t clicking at all in that game (against Magnolia), but tonight we were clicking on all cylinders,” said Cone, whose team shot 43.8-percent en route to getting back on the team that beat them in the Finals twice last season.
(C) PBA Images
Ginebra clicked on all cylinders, something TNT could only wish to emulate, as they made just 27 of their 74 shots from the floor.
Enciso was the only one who played commendably, with winger Kevin Ferrer his lone support as the former Gin King scored 11 points.
Both teams will return to action before the week comes to a close. Ginebra will take on Meralco in another rivalry affair on Friday at the Big Dome.
The Tropa, on the other hand, will soon head to Vigan, Ilocos Sur, to face the retooled Converge on Saturday at the Chavit Coliseum.
The Scores:
Ginebra 92 – J.Aguilar 17, Abarrientos 14, Rosario 13, Thompson 10, Holt 10, Torres 10, Gray 8, Estil 5, David 3, Pinto 0, Cu 0.
TNT 77 – Enciso 17, Ferrer 11, Pogoy 9, Williams 8, Galinato 8, Khobuntin 7, Oftana 6, Ganuelas-Rosser 5, Nambatac 3, Hill 2, Heading 1, Jalalon 0, Aurin 0.
Quarterscores: 33-16, 45-30, 68-48, 92-77.
