BARANGAY Ginebra turned a PBA Finals rematch into a total mismatch, overwhelming TNT, 97-78, on Sunday night in the 49th Season Philippine Cup at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
The Gin Kings opened the game by scoring 13 straight points and never looked back to pick up their seventh win in 10 games, tying Magnolia at third place in the single-round elimination phase.
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The Tropang 5G saw their six-game winning streak snapped with their resident import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson in attendance and Jordan Heading playing for the first time since coming in from Converge in a trade for Mikey Williams.
TNT fell to 6-4, joining Rain or Shine and Converge at fifth place.
So dominant was Ginebra in its first game with TNT since losing in Game 7 of the Commissioner’s Cup Finals last March that it led by as many as 32 points and never once trailed.
Heading entered the game at the 6:45 mark of the first quarter, but Ginebra’s lead was already sizeable by then.
Ginebra coach Tim Cone didn’t want to make a big deal out of the winning margin as TNT only had a day to prepare for the contest.
“It’s an elimination game, they are coming off a six-game winning streak, they played a day before yesterday. I just don’t think they were that ready for our intensity tonight,” said Cone.
“We’ve been off for a week, we’ve been planning on this game all week. It was a big game in terms of standings and top four, and I think you have to appreciate the six-game winning streak after starting the conference slow with three losses,” said Cone.
RJ Abarrientos led Ginebra in scoring with 23 points, but it was Japeth Aguilar who paced the Gin Kings after making eight of his 20 points in the first quarter. Aguilar also hauled down 14 rebounds for Ginebra.
Calvin Oftana led TNT with 18 but only shot 5-of-13 from the field. Heading added 10 points but TNT lost Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser early in the game after being called for a flagrant foul two for elbowing Troy Rosario in the first quarter.
Ginebra began the third quarter with five straight points to pick up the largest lead of the contest at 59-27.
The scores:
Barangay Ginebra 97 – Abarrientos 23, J. Aguilar 20, Holt 12, Malonzo 12, Rosario 11, Pinto 6, Thompson 5, R. Aguilar 4, David 2, Gray 2, Adamos 0, Cu 0, Ahanmisi 0.
TNT 78 – Oftana 18, Heading 10, Aurin 9, Williams 8, Pogoy 8, Khobuntin 7, Enciso 5, Nieto 4, Vosotros 3, Ganuelas-Rosser 2, Varilla 2, Erram 2, Heruela 0.
Quarters: 30-11; 54-37; 74-50; 97-78.
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