Ginebra deployed a well-rounded attack en route to sending Blackwater skidding through a masterful 115-85 conquest to nail its first win in the PBA Season 50 Governors’ Cup at the SMART Araneta Coliseum, Friday night.
The Kings seized control early, but it was in the middle quarters where they completely blew the game open. They outscored the Bossing, 65-40, to build a commanding 96-63 lead entering the fourth quarter, much to the delight of their fans.
Their advantage ballooned to as much as 40 points, 105-65, after a Stephen Holt three-pointer with 9:46 remaining, as the traditional powerhouse delivered a wire-to-wire domination to bounce back emphatically from its opening-game loss to Phoenix.
With the defeat, guest team Macau remained the only winless squad in the season-ending conference, falling to 0-4 in Group A.
(C) PBA Images
“We came out and played better. They (Blackwater) were playing well, so I’m surprised we got this kind of win. We moved the ball, and when that happens, you get the shots, and you generate points,” offered head coach Tim Cone.
A total of eight players scored in double figures as the team notched its first win in Group B to improve to a 1-1 record. Holt led the way with 19 points, highlighted by a 5-of-9 shooting clip from three-point range, while also grabbing seven rebounds and dishing out five assists.
Import Riley Grigsby tallied 18 points, eight rebounds, and five assists as he involved his teammates more this time after having zero dimes last game.
RJ Abarrientos supplied 14 points and six assists. Meanwhile, Japeth Aguilar did a bit of everything with his 11 points, nine rebounds, and five blocks.
The quartet of Troy Rosario, Ralph Cu, Nards Pinto, and Kemark Carino all scored 11 points as well in a balanced attack, made possible by their conscious effort to share the ball, as evidenced by the 35 assists they finished with.
“We started right, played defense, and moved the ball — that’s Ginebra basketball,” said Holt, who earned Player of the Game honors.
Ginebra will try to secure its second win when it faces Rain or Shine this Sunday at the Big Dome in their first meeting since last conference’s Commissioner’s Cup semifinals.
(C) PBA Images
Kentrell Barkley, on the other hand, had 26 points and 10 rebounds for Blackwater, which fell to its second loss in a row and dropped to 2-2.
The Scores:
Ginebra 115 – Holt 19, Grigsby 18, Abarrientos 14, Rosario 11, Aguilar 11, Carino 11, Pinto 11, Cu 11, Estil 4, Gray 2, Abis 2, Torres 1, Go 0
Blackwater 85 – Barkley 26, Barefield 16, Panopio 15, Ilagan 10, Austria 5, Mallilin 5, Tratter 2, Escoto 2, Murrell 2, Cruz-Dumont 1, Mendoza 1, Demusis 0, DiGregorio 0, Seno 0, Una 0
Quarterscores: 31-23, 62-42, 96-63, 115-85.
