Ginebra deals San Miguel worst loss of season

MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – Barangay Ginebra San Miguel had 6 men in double figures and shot 48% from the field to deal the San Miguel Beermen, champions of 3 of the last 4 conferences, their worst loss of the season and worst under head coach Leo Austria.

The Gin Kings hammered the Beermen, 110-84, on Sunday, April 3 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, to improve their record to 6-4 with one elimination game left in the 2016 PBA Commissioner’s Cup.

“Well we really caught San Miguel at the right time, obviously,” said head coach Tim Cone. “June Mar is coming back after injury, Arwind, his bereavement that he’s been through for the last couple weeks, they just never really found a rhythm. Ronald Tubid comes in. It’s hard when those guys haven’t been playing and all of a sudden you throw them back and everything kind of changes – the chemistry, the rotations. From a coaching standpoint I know how difficult that is.”

“We caught them on a good night for us,” he added.

San Miguel lost by double digits for only the second time this season, the last one coming in November 2015 in the Philippine Cup eliminations, 99-84, against Rain or Shine, said PBA statistician Fidel Mangonon III.

The Beermen lost by at least 20 points only one other time since Austria took over before last season – a 113-93 defeat to TNT in March 2015 during last year’s Commissioner’s Cup. It’s also the franchise’s worst defeat in 4 seasons dating back to a 113-83 loss to Rain or Shine in the 2011 Governors’ Cup, also per Mangonon.

This conference’s shortest import Othyus Jeffers notched his 9th double-double – the most of any player in this Commissioner’s Cup – with game-high 22 points and 13 rebounds.

Greg Slaughter scattered 18 points and 7 rebounds while Chris Ellis made up for crucial errors in the past game with 15 markers, 7 boards, 3 dimes and two thefts off the bench.

Japeth Aguilar had 14 points and 9 rebounds, as LA Tenorio and Sol Mercado chipped in 10 and 11 markers, respectively.

With the win, the Gin Kings hiked their record to 6-4 and formally clinched a quarterfinals berth, entering the playoffs for an all-time league best 27 straight times.

According to Mangonon, Cone will likewise appear in his 19th straight playoffs as head coach since his time with Alaska.

Ginebra pulled away with a 36-point second quarter as Japeth Aguilar and Chris Ellis conspired for 21 points in that period, turning a slim 16-14 first period edge into a 52-36 edge at the break.

The crowd favorites led by as much as 100-70 in the payoff period.

After shooting the lights out in an inspired lopsided win over Star on Easter, San Miguel came up with a paltry 37% field goal percentage and went 8-of-32 from beyond the arc.

Tyler Wilkerson topscored with 20 points and 16 rebounds but also turned the ball over 6 times.

June Mar Fajardo had 14 points and 10 rebounds in his return from a two-game absence due to a knee injury. Marcio Lassiter and Alex Cabagnot had 12 and 11 points, respectively, while Gabby Espinas had 10.

Team captain Arwind Santos played for the first time since his mother’s passing before the Holy Week break, coming off the bench for 6 points and 3 rebounds.

Ronald Tubid played just under 4 minutes in his return from a hyperextended knee injury as the Beermen dropped to 5-3 and in third place. They still need one more win to make the playoffs. 

Scores:

Ginebra (110): Jeffers 22, Slaughter 18, Ellis 15, Aguilar 14, Tenorio 11, Mercado 10, Caguioa 9, Thompson 5, Marcelo 2, Mariano 2, Salva 2, Helterbrand 0. 

San Miguel (84): Wilkerson 20, Fajardo 14, Lassiter 12, Cabagnot 11, Espinas 10, Ross 9, Santos 6, De Ocampo 2, Araña 0, Heruela 0, Lutz 0, Reyes 0, Semerad 0, Tubid 0.

Quarter scores: 16-14, 52-36, 78-64, 110-84.

– Rappler.com