Barangay Ginebra have snapped out of its two-game funk in the 2019 PBA Commissioner’s Cup after withstanding long-time rivals San Miguel Beermen in overtime, 110-107, Sunday night at a packed SMART Araneta Coliseum.
Scottie Thompson and Justin Brownlee joined hands in the extra period to give the Barangay a 109-104 lead, and the Beermen’s botched opportunities down the stretch proved costly and it paved the way for Ginebra en route to the win.
Ginebra not only improved to 3-3 with the win but they have also earned their 1,000th win Asia’s pioneering pro league.
“Just two heavyweights going at each other,” said Ginebra head coach Tim Cone. “I told my guys this is a great game, this is a fun game, and it was. It was a great game. It’s great to be a part of it. For us, it was playoff intensity.”
Reigning Best Import Brownlee had 39 points on 59 percent shooting from the field, 15 rebounds, five assists, two blocks, and a steal to lead the defending champs in the rematch of last season’s Commissioner Cup Finals.
LA Tenorio produced 16 points, six assists, three steals, and two rebounds in the win. Greg Slaughter had 13 points as he shot just 4-of-18 from the floor that included a bunch of missed shots from point-blank range, but he had 18 boards.
Scottie Thompson had 13 points as well on 6-of-7 shooting from the field, along with 11 rebounds and two assists.
Former Best Import Charles Rhodes made 34 points, 12 rebounds, three assists, three blocks, and a steal to set the pace the Beermen, though he failed to finish the game as he got fouled out with 2:45 remaining in the game.
San Miguel still tried to will themselves back into the game even without Rhodes. From five down, the Beermen managed to knock within two, 107-109, with 1:16 left thanks to Christian Standhardinger and Chris Ross.
The breaks of the game were seemingly veering towards SMB since then, when June Mar Fajardo blocked Joe Devance near the rim; forced Brownlee to commit a turnover as his pass went wide; and when Standhardinger stole the ball.
The Beermen had 11.6 points to execute a play that will lead to basket, but it all became wasted as Ross hastily hoisted up a shot from way beyond the arc, which did not hit its target. The Barangay then managed to get the rebound.
San Miguel was then forced to give up a foul, and Tenorio split his freebies to take down the Beermen for good.
Alex Cabagnot had 21 points, four rebounds, two assists, and a steal in the defeat that dragged the Beermen to 1-3. Marcio Lassiter had 15 points and eight assists, as Fajardo had 13 points, 19 rebounds, three assists, and two blocks.
Ross finished with 11 points, 13 rebounds, 11 assists, and two steals.
The Scores:
Ginebra 110 – Brownlee 39, Tenorio 16, Slaughter 13, Thompson 13, Mercado 12, Aguilar 9, Ferrer 5, Devance 3.
San Miguel 107 – Rhodes 34, Cabagnot 21, Lassiter 15, Fajardo 13, Ross 11, Standhardinger 10, Pessumal 3, Rosser 0, Santos 0.
Quarterscores: 15-26, 48-50, 80-77, 99-99, 110-107.
