Barangay Ginebra San Miguel put on a show in front of its fans with a masterful conquest of an import-less NorthPort, 108-82, for a 2-0 start in the 2021-22 PBA Governors’ Cup, Friday evening at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
It was the crowd darlings’ first game before a live audience in 22 months, or since beating Meralco last January 17, 2020 at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay to rule the season-ending conference for the third time in four years.
“I remember, it was making our first basket. And there was a roar, And I go, ‘Whoa!’ ‘Wow!’ I’ve never heard that. It was like a brand new feeling all over again,” said an elated head coach Tim Cone postgame.
Justin Brownlee led the Gin Kings with 28 points, with nine in the first period alone which they ended with a 27-14 lead to set up the one-sided affair.
The former Best Import also collected nine rebounds, six assists, a steal, and a block in over 41 minutes of another all-around performance.
Arvin Tolentino made his presence felt as well in the victory. The sophomore forward turned in a career-best 16 points on 6-of-12 shooting from the field, together with a couple of rebounds and a steal.
LA Tenorio supplied 14 points, while Japeth Aguilar added 11 markers and six boards for Ginebra, who’s now second in the standings behind NLEX (3-0).
The Barangay’s 26-point win, according to league stats chief Fidel Mangonon III, is their largest winning margin since a 132-105 Game Three win in the 2019 Governors’ Cup best-of-five semis also against the Batang Pier.
And they did it without 2020 Philippine Cup BPC Stanley Pringle, who’s out due to a knee injury that’s feared to be a serious one.
Ginebra will look to go up 3-0 against Phoenix (2-1) on Sunday at 5:30 p.m. — a prelude to its Manila Clasico tiff with Magnolia on Christmas Day.
Meanwhile, NorthPort was led by Robert Bolick, who finished with a career-high 32 points on 13-of-22 shooting but had little help as he was his side’s lone double-digit scorer. He also had seven rebounds and six assists.
The Batang Pier fell to 0-4 as they once again played without Cameron Forte, who’s about to be replaced after suffering a knee injury.
The Scores:
Ginebra 108 – Brownlee 28, Tolentino 16, Tenorio 14, J. Aguilar 11, Standhardinger 8, Thompson 8, Salado 7, Onwubere 7, Enriquez 6, Chan 3, Caperal 0, R. Aguilar 0, Ayaay 0.
NorthPort 82 – Bolick 32, Taha 8, Malonzo 7, Slaughter 7, Santos 7, Ferrer 6, Balanza 4, Cruz 4, Grey 3, Elorde 2, Rike 2, Subido 0.
Quarterscores: 27-14, 54-39, 79-62, 108-82.
