BAY Area evened the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals despite playing without an import in Game Four, defeating Barangay Ginebra, 94-86, on Friday night at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
Kobey Lam hit 30 points as the Dragons found their shooting touch in the fourth to beat the Gin Kings and tie the best-of-seven series at 2-2 despite the absence of Andrew Nicholson due to an ankle injury.
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The Dragons also averted another late Gin Kings comeback to preserve the win which kept the foreign guest team's title hopes alive going to Game Five on Sunday, also at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Bay Area coach Brian Goorjian was proud of the way his team fought despite the adversities of the past 48 hours.
“We didn’t have Nicholson tonight and we had to bring it. We have to play with a defensive presence and we have to move the ball,” said Goorjian. "I’m proud of my young team playing in a game like this and competing and getting a win."
Lam nailed eight threes in the contest including a three to give Bay Area an 84-72 lead. Hayden Blankley followed with a three-pointer of his own for an 89-76 lead, the biggest of the game.
Glen Yang and Zhu Songwei had 18 points apiece for the foreign guest team.
Justin Brownlee completed a triple-double of 23 points, 13 rebounds, and 11 assists on a night where he won the Best Import of the Conference award. Best Player of the Conference awardee Scottie Thompson added 18 points.
But the Gins could not put the Dragons away despite leading, 38-26, in the second quarter.
The scores:
Bay Area 94 – Lam 30, Yang 18, Zhu 18, Liu 8, Reid 8, Blankley 7, Song 3, Zheng 2, Ewing 0, Ju 0.
Barangay Ginebra 86 – Brownlee 23, Thompson 18, J. Aguilar 12, Tenorio 11, Pringle 9, Standhardinger 8, Malonzo 5, Gray 0, Pinto 0, Mariano 0.
Quarters: 19-19; 38-46; 60-61; 94-86.