Helterbrand saves the day as Ginebra ties finals vs Meralco

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – It was the kind of stuff great stories are made of.

With his team on the brink of a 1-3 deficit in the 2016 PBA Governors’ Cup Finals, veteran and birthday boy Jayjay Helterbrand saved the day for Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, leading them in a fourth quarter charge to get past the Meralco Bolts, 88-86, and tie the series instead at 2-2 on Friday, October 14, at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.

The Gin Kings, who lost an 11-point halftime lead and trailed by as much as 16 in the third period, sealed the victory thanks to a late turnaround jumper by Joe Devance. Misses by Allen Durham and Chris Newsome also helped seal the loss for the Bolts.

Helterbrand, who was inserted with change left in the third period, finished with 11 points and a +18 in a performance reminiscent of his prime performances. LA Tenorio had 12 points, while Justin Brownlee and Sol Mercado each scored 10. Mark Caguiao also played a critical role in his team’s late rally and finished with 8 points.

The Bolts were led by the 34 points and 20 boards of import Allen Durham. Chris Newsome, who was named Rookie of the Year, had 15 points and 7 assists but also 4 turnovers. 

After Helterbrand scored all his points in the final frame to lead a 14-0 run, the contest went down the wire. After Devance knocked in a turnaround in the post, Meralco went to Durham, but the import misfired on a contested triple.

Tenorio was then fouled but missed both free throws, leaving the door open for the Bolts. After a time-out, Newsome attempted a tough jumper which bricked, giving Ginebra the win.

Scores:

Ginebra (88): Aguilar 19, Tenorio 12, Helterbrand 11, Brownlee 10, Mercado 10, Caguioa 8, Cruz 7, Devance 7, Thompson 4, Marcelo 0

Meralco (86): Durham 34, Newsome 15, Caram 8, Al-Hussaini 8, Hodge 6, Hugnatan 5, Nabong 4, Uyloan 3, Amer 3, Faundo 0, Alapag 0, Guevarra 0

Quarter scores: 20-13, 46-35, 58-74, 88-86 – Rappler.com