MANILA, Philippines – Barangay Ginebra picked apart an NLEX crew that played without an import and advanced to the semifinals of the PBA Governors’ Cup after a 127-93 blowout at the Araneta Coliseum on Sunday, March 19.

Justin Brownlee churned out 31 points, 13 rebounds, 6 assists, and 4 steals without committing a turnover in 38 minutes as he stamped his class against the Road Warriors, who sorely missed the presence of Wayne Selden.

Selden sat out with a midfoot sprain, an injury that ultimately doomed NLEX in its bid to force a do-or-die clash against twice-to-beat Ginebra.

Without Selden, the Road Warriors eventually crumbled after trailing by just a whisker at the end of the first quarter, 17-18, and the Gin Kings took control thanks to Brownlee and Jamie Malonzo.

Brownlee and Malonzo dropped 13 and 11 points, respectively, in the second quarter as the two outscored the entire NLEX team in the period to help Ginebra mount a comfortable 56-36 halftime cushion.

The Gin Kings coasted the rest of the way and led by as many as 38 points.

“Really, really bad luck,” said Ginebra head coach Tim Cone of the Road Warriors not having Selden. “We had no idea and it was such bad luck for NLEX.”

Malonzo finished with 20 points, 6 rebounds, 5 assists, and 2 steals, while Best Player of the Conference frontrunner Christian Standhardinger also shone for the Gin Kings with 20 points and 8 rebounds.

Jeremiah Gray chalked up a 15-point, 10-rebound double-double in the victory and Scottie Thompson chimed in 10 points, 7 assists, 5 rebounds, and 3 steals as Ginebra arranged a best-of-five semifinals with San Miguel.

With the result already beyond doubt, the Gin Kings unleashed Von Pessumal in the fourth quarter and he fired 12 points, including the triple that gave his side its biggest lead of the game at 106-68 with nine minutes left.

Sean Anthony paced NLEX with 16 points and 5 rebounds in the losing effort, while top pick Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser ended his rookie season with a double-double of 14 points and 10 rebounds.

It was a disappointing end to a promising campaign that saw the Road Warriors win their first four games with initial import Jonathon Simmons.

Simmons left to return to the Chinese Basketball Association, forcing NLEX to bring in Selden as it concluded the elimination round as the sixth seed with a 7-4 record.

The Scores

Barangay Ginebra 127 – Brownlee 31, Standhardinger 20, Malonzo 20, Gray 15, Pessumal 12, Thompson 10, Mariano 10, Pringle 5, Pinto 4, Onwubere 0, R. Aguilar 0, David 0.

NLEX 93 – Anthony 16, Alas 15, Trollano 14, Ganuelas-Rosser 14, Rosales 11, Semerad 10, Miranda 7, Doliguez 4, Nieto 2, Pascual 0, Gabo 0.

Quarters: 18-17, 56-36, 93-62, 127-93.

– Rappler.com