BARANGAY Ginebra authored another Christmas game classic by coming back from the depths of a 22-point deficit and stunned rival Magnolia, 95-92, in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
RJ Abarrientos and Justine Brownlee spearheaded the Kings’ huge rally from a 76-54 deficit in the third quarter, before Scottie Thompson capped the comeback by burying the game-winning three at the buzzer for the thrilling win.
The exciting ending somehow atoned for the one-sided win by Converge over Meralco, 110-94, in the curtain raiser.
Converge improved to a 6-2 record for a tie with guest team Eastern at No. 3, followed by Barangay Ginebra with a 4-2 slate.
Meralco fell to 3-2, while Magnolia skidded at 2-5.
Here are the takeaways in the final playdate of the mid-season conference for 2024.
1. HEARTBREAKER ADDS TO MAGNOLIA’S MISERY – it was a painful loss that couldn’t have come at the worse time for the Hotshots. Just when it appears the team was on its way to putting together a two-game win streak for the first time in the conference, the Kings decided to play Grinch to Magnolia. The loss was the fifth in the last six games for the skidding team. It was also the third time the Hotshots lost after holding a double-digit lead in the fourth quarter and the second time they failed to protect a 20-plus point lead and lost a game.
2. KINGS EXTEND CHRISTMAS DAY DOMINANCE OF HOTSHOTS – the dramatic win kept Ginebra’s dominance of Magnolia in Christmas Day games which now runs at 5-1. The only time the Hotshots scored a victory over the Kings on a Dec. 25 playdate came during the 2021 Governors’ Cup in a 117-94 blowout led by the 29 of import Mike Harris. It was also the last time the ‘Clasico’ was held on Christmas Day.
3. FIRST TIME FOR RJ ABARRIENTOS, TROY ROSARIO TO PLAY IN ‘CLASICO’ – the game was the first time both Abarrientos and Rosario played in the rivalry game between the league’s two most popular franchises. The different format during the season-opener Governors’ Cup hindered an early showdown between the Hotshots and Kings. Playing in their first ‘Clasico,’ Abarrientos and Rosario made sure everybody felt their presence. The rookie guard proved to be the spark the Kings needed to rally the team, scoring 17 of his 20 points in the second half including 5-of-8 from beyond the arc, while adding five assists including the pass that led to Thompson’s game winner. Rosario meanwhile, added 15 points and eight rebounds.
4. CONVERGE NOW WARMING UP – the FiberXers are quietly moving up in the standings following their domination of the Bolts to nail their fourth straight win. And they’re bound to get better as rookies Jordan Heading and Justine Baltazar teamed up in dealing Meralco a second straight loss. Heading finished with 30 points on 4-of-6 shooting from the three-point area, while adding six rebounds and eight assists, while Baltazar, the season’s top rookie pick, had his breakout PBA game with 16 points (6-of-9 from the field), seven rebounds, and four assists. Once the two get their rhythm on a consistent basis, the FiberXers are truly a force to be reckoned with, combining them with Alec Stockton, Justin Arana, Schonny Winston, and import Cheick Diallo to form a deadly unit.
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