Stephen Holt powered the breakaway as Ginebra hardly showed first-game jitters and beat the streaking NLEX, 109-100, for a winning PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup debut, Wednesday night at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
Last season’s Rookie of the Year unloaded 20 of his 26 points in the third quarter alone, going a perfect 5-of-5 from three-point distance during that heater run as he led the Kings’ 36-point eruption toward a 78-66 lead by frame’s end.
The rest of the Barangay would then do their part in maintaining the lead afterward, with Ralph Cu, Scottie Thompson, and Maverick Ahanmisi doing as much as they went on to snap the three-game winning streak of the opposition.
“We had a good shooting night. That makes up for a lot of our execution mistakes when we shoot the ball well,” said head coach Tim Cone.
“Stephen had a great night. Maverick had a great night. So, that took the pressure off us. But we also didn’t leave behind our defense,” he added.
Justin Brownlee finished with 24 points and 12 rebounds Japeth Aguilar, on the other hand, supplied 15 points and six rebounds.
Ahanmisi chipped in 13 points, spiked by three triples, and eight rebounds in the victory that also gave Troy Rosario a winning debut with the franchise.
A free agent signee prior to the conference, the veteran 6-foot-7 big man chipped in nine points, seven rebounds, and three assists.
“He gets everybody back in their comfortable positions,” said Cone. “By Troy coming in and being able to play the 4 and the 3, that allows Justin to be on the opposite wing and take some of the load on rebounding and inside.”
Ginebra will look to keep its flow going against Phoenix on Friday, December 13 also at NAS in the second outing of a six-game stretch within two weeks.
Mike Watkins, meanwhile, led NLEX with 27 points and 21 rebounds in yet another 20-rebound outing although they fell short in stretching their streak.
It’s also because Robert Bolick got held to only 18 points after erupting for 39 big points in their come-from-behind victory over San Miguel the last time out.
Kevin Alas had 14 points in his best game yet since coming back from a thir ACL injury,. Jonnel Policarpuo and Enoch Valdez added 13 and 11, respectively.
NLEX returns to action on December 17 in the same venue when it faces a Converge side that will already have Justine Baltazar in tow.
The Scores:
Ginebra 109 – Holt 26, Brownlee 24, J.Aguilar 15, Ahanmisi 13, Rosario 9, Thompson 8, Abarrientos 6, Cu 6, Adamos 2, Pinto 0.
NLEX 100 – Watkins 27, Bolick 18, Alas 14, Policarpio 13, Valdez 11, Torres 5, Semerad 4, Herndon 4, Rodger 2, Bahio 2, Mocon 0.
Quarterscores: 20-22, 42-43, 78-66, 109-100.
