Purefoods had no answer to their hot shooting opponents, as Ginebra won by 23 points behind 5 players with double-digit scoring. Joseph Yeo earned MVP honors for the game, scoring 17 points, dishing out 5 assists, and shooting 5/8 from beyond the arc. Greg Slaughter helped out with a double-double, scoring 14 points and grabbing 13 rebounds. Purefoods on the other hand was led by PJ Simon’s 15 points and 4 rebounds.
The first quarter started with back-to-back baskets by Ginebra, led with a triple from Mac Baracael. Both teams ended up trading baskets, but a Joe Devance (JDV) lay-up bringing the deficit down to 3 at 12-9. This was Purefoods’ last field goal of the quarter. A Mark Caguioa jumper followed by back-to-back floaters from Rodney Brondial and Slaughter closed the quarter with a 9-point lead for Ginebra, 19-10.
Purefoods was able to temporarily cut the lead early on in the second quarter. A JDV floater, Justin Melton jumper, capped by an Alex Mallari triple brought the lead down to 4, 21-17. Ginebra answered with a run of their own. Billy Mamaril was able to score despite getting fouled on the attempt. LA Tenorio hit a 3-point shot followed by converting on 2 freethrows, and Mac Baracael scored on the inside after an offensive rebound. The 9-0 run extended the Ginebra lead to 13, 30-17.
Simon tried to take over for Purefoods, scoring 3 consecutive points. James Yap hit a jumper, followed by a triple and floater from Simon. Despite this run, Purefoods was still facing a 7-point deficit, 34-27. A Slaughter jumper was answered by a JDV 3 and Simon fastbreak, but Ginebra had the last laugh as Japeth Aguilar was able to hit on a jumper to end the quarter, 38-32 for Ginebra.
Joseph Yeo came alive at the third quarter, scoring on 4 of his 5 three-point shots during the period. His first triple was the last bucket of a 6-0 run for Ginebra that pushed their lead to 12, 44-32. He then hit back-to-back triples after a JDV layup to give his team a 16-point lead, 52-36. His last 3-point shot put his team up by 19, 57-38. Both teams then traded baskets, but Marc Pingris and Marc Barroca scored on back-to-back buckets to cut the lead to 15, 61-46.
Purefoods had a glimmer of hope at the start of the fourth, when Pingris and Barroca once again scored on consecutive baskets to cut the deficit to 12, 68-56. Ginebra immediately crushed any hope Purefoods might have had as Aguilar completed a three-point play, followed by a Mamaril jumper and a putback from Mark Caguioa, giving them another 19-point lead, 75-56. With less than half a quarter to go, Purefoods had no hope of catching up to Ginebra. Ginebra won the game, 89-66.
