BARANGAY Ginebra leaned on a hot-shooting night to whip Phoenix, 119-112, for its first back-to-back wins in the PBA Philippine Cup on Friday night.
Banking on a sizzling 59 percent field-goal shooting, the Kings went on a tear in the second and third quarters to blow the game wide open at the Philsports Arena.
Japeth Aguilar had another huge game, going 9-of-12 from the floor for 24 points. RJ Abarrientos added a team-high 25 in leading three others in double figures for the Kings, who improved to a 4-2 slate for joint third place with San Miguel.
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The victory came almost a week after Ginebra hammered Converge, 85-66, in San Fernando, Pampanga.
Despite cruising to the win, Cone tipped his hat off to the Fuel Masters.
“Phoenix is really a dangerous team. Their coaching staff is extremely creative in their approach. You don’t know what they’re going to throw at you, they do a lot of defenses, and they play with a unique lineup,” noted the Ginebra coach.
“They play very creatively and that makes them very dangerous.”
Phoenix did start on the right foot and led Ginebra after one quarter, 27-24.
But then the Kings scored 68 points combined in the middle quarters behind Aguilar, Stephen Holt, Abarrientos, and Scottie Thompson to wrest control with a huge 92-72 advantage heading to the final period.
Abarrientos went 5-of-8 from deep, Holt 4-of-6, and Jamie Malonzo 4-of-8 as the Kings shot a scorching 16-of-28 from three-point range (57 percent).
Holt finished with 18, Thompson had 17 points and 13 of the Kings’ total of 33 assists, while Malonzo added 15 points.
Phoenix suffered a second straight loss for a 2-5 record despite getting 28 points from Jason Perkins, including 19 in the first half.
RJ Jazul was a combined 4-of-7 from three and four-point range to finish with 18 while Ken Tuffin had 17 for the Fuel Masters, who made the final score close after knocking in 40 points in the fourth period.
The loss also spoiled the visit of former Phoenix main man Matthew Wright, who watched the game with his family while currently on vacation in the country after concluding his 2024-25 season in the Japan B.League.
The scores
Ginebra (119) - Abarrientos 25, J.Aguilar 24, Holt 18, Thompson 17, Malonzo 15, Rosario 8, Pessumal 6, Cu 3, Adamos 2, R. Aguilar 1, David 0, Pinto 0, Mariano 0.
Phoenix (112) - Perkins 28, Jazul 18, Tuffin 17, Tio 15, Ballungay 12, Garcia 6, Verano 6, Alejandro 3, Manganti 3, Ular 2, Soyud 2, Rivero 0, Cullar 0, Camacho 0.
Quarterscores: 24-27; 59-50; 92-72; 119-112.
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