BARANGAY Ginebra found a timely spark in LA Tenorio in Game Four to beat Meralco in wire-to-wire fashion, 90-71, on Friday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena and even their PBA 48th Season Philippine Cup semifinals.
Tenorio got the starting job in an all-important game and delivered like old times, finishing with seven points, four rebounds, six assists, and two steals to help tie the best-of-seven semifinal series at 2-2.
Game Five is slated on Sunday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
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Scottie Thompson also broke out of his shooting slump which began with the former PBA MVP nailing the first three of the game. He finished with 15 points on an efficient 6-of-7 shooting including a perfect 3-of-3 from rainbow distance.
Following Thompson’s three to open the contest, it was all Ginebra from there with Tenorio making an impact in a variety of ways in a 16-2 start that led to a 31-15 lead at the end of the first quarter.
Ginebra bounced back from its 87-80 defeat in Game Three held in Dasmariñas City last Wednesday in a big way. So dominant were the Kings that they led by as many as 27 points, 87-60, midway through the fourth quarter.
Japeth Aguilar topscored for Ginebra with 21 points, while Christian Standhardinger added 15 points. Stanley Pringle, who also got the start, added 14 points.
“As bad as we played last game, we played that good this game,” said Ginebra coach Tim Cone. “I just felt the energy was so much better. We started differently. We really butt out LA and Stanley to start, give us that veteran presence to come out and play, get into our execution.”
Chris Banchero and Allein Maliksi had 14 points apiece, while Chris Newsome chipped in 10 points for the Bolts.
The scores:
Barangay Ginebra 90 – J. Aguilar 21, Thompson 15, Standhardinger 15, Pringle 14, Ahanmisi 7, Tenorio 7, Pinto 4, Cu 3, Gumaru 3, Murrell 1, Pessumal , R. Aguilar 0, David 0.
Meralco 71 – Banchero 14, Maliksi 14, Newsome 10, Caram 8, Hodge 6, Mendoza 5, Torres 4, Quinto 3, Bates 3, Almazan 2, Pascual 2, Dario 0, Pasaol 0, Jose 0, Rios 0.
Quarters: 31-15; 47-32; 73-49; 90-71.
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