THE real Barangay Ginebra showed up on Friday night in routing Rain or Shine, 124-102, to win its fourth straight game in the PBA 49th Season Governors’ Cup at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
The Gin Kings displayed the fiery form that was visibly absent during their first round encounter with the Elasto Painters, ultimately avenging their 73-64 defeat last August 24 in Candon, Ilocos Sur.
The victory also forced a three-way tie among Ginebra, Rain or Shine, and San Miguel on top of Group B, with all three teams at 5-2.
The Gin Kings went on a 34-23 fourth quarter tear to put the Elasto Painters away and onto their second loss in the last three games.
Front and center, as always, in that pivotal push was Justin Brownlee who wound up with 40 points.
Ginebra also hit its outside shots with regularity, making 10 threes in the second half, which Rain or Shine can’t keep up with.
Japeth Aguilar added 21 points and eight rebounds, while Stephen Holt chimed in 18 points, all but three coming in the fourth quarter. Scottie Thompson and RJ Abarrientos had 14 and 13 points, respectively.
A dampener in the win, however, was the injury to Isaac Go, who had to be taken out of the game just 79 seconds into the contest.
READ: Isaac Go exits Ginebra game after just 79 seconds due to ankle sprain
“But aside from that, their (Rain or Shine) transition in the first quarter was just amazing and they were getting down the floor so quick and we were trying our best to get down with them and they were blowing by us. We kinda settled in as the game progressed but we did a better job against their transition,” said coach Tim Cone.
Aaron Fuller had 28 points and 11 rebounds, while Jhonard Clarito and Felix Lemetti had 16 and 15, respectively, for the Elasto Painters.
The scores:
GINEBRA 124 – Brownlee 40, J. Aguilar 21, Holt 18, Thompson 17, Abarrientos 14, Ahanmisi 13, Garcia 1, Pinto 0, R. Aguilar 0, Cu 0, Adamos 0, Pessumal 0, Go 0.
RAIN OR SHINE 102 – Fuller 28, Clarito 16, Lemetti 15, Nocum 12, Caracut 8, Santillan 6, Villegas 6, Tiongson 5, Mamuyac 4, Norwood 2, Datu 0.
Quarters: 38-30; 58-54; 90-79; 124-102.
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