BARANGAY Ginebra outplayed undermanned Meralco, 84-75, on Friday to get back on track in the PBA 50th Season Governors’ Cup at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
The Gin Kings regained their winning ways following the production of RJ Abarrientos and Riley Grigsby to improve their win-loss record to 2-2 ahead of their match against Magnolia on Sunday at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
The Bolts played with a depleted roster, missing top local scorer CJ Cansino and Bong Quinto. Meralco couldn’t get its offense going on its way to its lowest scoring output of the conference, and shooting a conference-worst 34 percent from the field.
Barangay Ginebra outscored Meralco, 44-29, at the half after shooting 52 percent from the field.
“It was a real, grind-it-out game,” Barangay Ginebra coach Tim Cone. “Really proud of our guys for really sticking their nose into it and really grinding this thing out.”
It was the best game of the conference for Abarrientos as he was shooting just 34 percent from the field and 17 percent from threes coming into Friday's game.
Abarrientos had 14 points in the second quarter that enabled the Gin Kings to grab a sizeable margin during the break. He also made 3-of-4 from threes in the first half.
Grigsby then took over in the third quarter with 12 points as it was in that period where Barangay Ginebra posted its biggest lead at 19, 48-29.
Antonio Hester had 24 points and 18 rebounds, and Chris Banchero had 15 points but they sorely missed Cansino and Quinto in the contest after the team shot just 28-of-83 from the field.
The scores:
Barangay Ginebra 84 – Abarrientos 27, Grigsby 25, Holt 8, Rosario 7, J. Aguilar 7, Go 5, Cu 3, Gray 2, Abis 0, Pinto 0, Carino 0, Torres 0.
Meralco 75 – Hester 24, Banchero 15, Bates 8, Mocon 8, Newsome 7, Maliksi 6, Hodge 4, Rios 3, Black 0, Comia 9, Caram 0.
Quarters: 18-10; 44-29; 65-50; 84-75.
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