BARANGAY Ginebra finally put together a string of wins in the PBA Philippine Cup.
The Kings drew double figures from five players in completing a 119-112 win over Phoenix, moving them in a tied for third place with San Miguel at the conclusion of Friday’s playdate at the Philsports Arena.
READ: Ginebra makes it back-to-back wins by blowing away Phoenix
RJ Abarrientos and Japeth Aguilar scored 25 and 24 points, respectively for the team which improved to a 4-2 record and won for the second straight game after an 85-66 beating it dealt to Converge in San Fernando, Pampanga last week.
The FiberXers bounced back from that 19-point setback against the Kings by trampling Northport Batang Pier, 111-92.
Alec Stockton had a game-high 33 points in the blowout win that gave Converge a 5-3 slate.
READ: Stockton sizzles for 33 as Converge piles more woes on NorthPort
Here are the three takeaways in the pair of dominant wins registered at the end of the week.
1.GINEBRA UNBEATABLE WHEN SHOTS ARE FALLING
The Kings aren’t about to lose a game where they shot impressively from the floor. They ended up making 40-of-68 from the floor (59 percent), an astounding 57 percent from deep (16-of-28), and 72 percent from the foul line (21-of-29).
Ginebra also had 33 assists compared to the 18 by Phoenix, and six blocks compared to none by the Fuel Masters.
The end result had coach Tim Cone saying the Kings played an absolute fantastic game against Phoenix save for the final three minutes when they obviously lowered their guard and allowed the Fuel Masters to run down the deficit to seven points before the final buzzer.
2.A WEEK OF BLOWOUTS IN THE PHILIPPINE CUP
Lague chief statistician Fidel Mangonon III noted how games the past week had ended into walkover for winning teams. It began with Ginebra’s 19-point demolition of Converge last week and had its peak with NLEX whipping Terrafirma by 30 points.
The Kings' seven-point victory over the Fuel Masters was the only game that didn’t end up in a double-figure winning margin, but even so, it was a game that was far from a nailbiter. In all, winning margins in the last seven games played for the week was at 19.4 points.
3. ALEC STOCKTON GOIN' ULTRA IN PHILSPORTS
What’s with Philsports Arena that the Converge Fil-Am guard always has his best games in the playing venue?
Stockton had 33 points in the runaway win against Northport on 5-of-9 shooting from three three-point line.
It was the second career-best for the former Far Eastern University stalwart after dropping 36 against San Miguel in a losing cause, 112-103, in last season’s Philippine Cup also at the arena formerly known as ULTRA.
PBA resident statistician Fidel Mangonon III noted that three of Stockton’s four 30-point game were all made at Philsports Arena.
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