JORDAN Murphy had 30 points, 13 rebounds, seven assists, and four blocks in his PBA debut, and Barangay Ginebra routed Rain or Shine, 129-111, on Friday in the 50th Season Governors’ Cup at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
RJ Abarrientos had a game-high 34 points and nine assists as the Gin Kings arrested a two-game losing skid, while snapping the Elasto Painters’ four-game winning streak.
Ginebra playing with desperation
The Gin Kings led for majority of the contest, with a gap that reached as high as 33 points in their first game of the Governors’ Cup restart.
Barangay Ginebra picked up a crucial victory as it catapulted them in a tie for fourth place with Blackwater with a 3-4 win-loss record.
Rain or Shine slipped to 4-3, giving Magnolia the lead in Group B with a 5-3 win-loss slate.
Barangay Ginebra coach Tim Cone admitted the team was playing with a sense of urgency, being in the bottom of the team standings before Friday’s game.
“I think that we just were a little desperate, played with a little desperation tonight being at the bottom of the team standings,” said Barangay Ginebra coach Tim Cone. “That’s not something that we are never used to. The players aren’t used to it. Certainly, the fans aren’t used to it.”
Abarrientos was fiery from the outside, going 6-of-11 from threes and 3-of-6 from fours in a near double-double performance in a game where Murphy played his first game since replacing Riley Grigsby.
Aaron Fuller had 23 points and 13 rebounds for Rain or Shine, which only led 5-2 before playing catch up all game long.
The scores:
Barangay Ginebra 129 – Abarrientos 34, Murphy 30, Rosario 14, Holt 14, Cu 8, J. Aguilar 8, Go 6, Thompson 6, Gray 6, Torres 2, Pinto 0, R. Aguilar 0.
Rain or Shine 111 – Fuller 23, Cuajao 19, Nocum 15, Malonzo 14, Caracut 12, Tiongson 8, Pringle 7, Clarito 5, Villegas 3, Lemetti 3, Santillan 2, Manaytay 0, Asistio 0.
Quarters: 40-19; 73-46; 106-75; 129-111.
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