Defending champ Ginebra turns back Meralco for maiden win

Delfin Dioquino

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Defending champ Ginebra turns back Meralco for maiden win
The Gin Kings find redemption from a shock conference-opening loss by storming back from 15 points down to deck the Bolts

MANILA, Philippines – Barangay Ginebra vented its ire on Meralco after a surprise conference-opening loss as it cruised to a 110-95 win in the 2019 PBA Commissioners’ Cup at the Araneta Coliseum on Sunday, May 26.

Fresh from a frustrating overtime defeat to Blackwater two nights ago, the Gin Kings picked up their first win in comeback fashion by digging themselves out of a 15-point hole with a strong second-half showing. 

Justin Brownlee flirted with a triple-double of 27 points, 12 rebounds, 8 assists, and 4 blocks in a win where they outscored the Bolts 67-41 in the final two quarters. 

Meralco enjoyed a 35-20 lead and was up by 11 at halftime before Ginebra turned the tides with a scorching 39-point 3rd quarter to enter the final frame with an 82-71 advantage. 

Japeth Aguilar chalked up 19 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists, and Art dela Cruz had 16 points for the Gin Kings.

Providing spark off the bench, Sol Mercado chipped in 14 points, 8 assists, and 5 rebounds, while Scottie Thompson added 11 points, 10 assists, and 7 rebounds in the win. 

Gani Lawal posted monster numbers of 38 points and 20 rebounds, but he failed to receive sufficient help from his teammates as the Bolts crashed to 1-2.

Baser Amer was the only other Bolt in twin digits in the losing effort with 10 points, 5 assists, and 2 steals. 

The Scores

Ginebra 110 – Brownlee 27, Aguilar 19, Dela Cruz 16, Mercado 14, Thompson 11, Slaughter 8, Mariano 8, Tenorio 4, Ferrer 3, Cruz 0, Caperal 0.

Meralco 95 – Lawal 38, Amer 10, Newsome 8, Hodge 7, Salva 6, Pinto 6, Canaleta 6, De Ocampo 5, Hugnatan 4, Jackson 3, Tolomia 2, Quinto 0, Caram 0.

Quarters: 16-28, 43-54, 82-71, 110-95.

Rappler.com

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Delfin Dioquino

Delfin Dioquino dreamt of being a PBA player, but he did not have the skills to make it. So he pursued the next best thing to being an athlete – to write about them. He took up journalism at the University of Santo Tomas and joined Rappler as soon as he graduated in 2017.