Barangay Ginebra was pushed to the limit by Terrafirma on Wednesday night, but they were able to pull out the victory and earn a twice-to-beat advantage heading into the PBA Governors Cup quarterfinals.
Even if the Kings lose their final game against TNT Tropang Giga on March 17, their 109-104 victory over Jordan Williams and company in the fourth quarter guaranteed them a Top 4 berth in the single round robin elims.
With their fifth consecutive victory, the Kings improved to 8-2 overall and second place behind the Tropang Giga (8-1) in the standings, while the Dyip were eliminated from playoff contention with a 2-9 record.
The Dyip’s last two games against the Magnolia Hotshots and the Kings were both nail-biters, but they ultimately lost
At the 13.1 second mark, the Kings were down 109-104 before the athletic Fil-Am forward Jamie Malonzo sprinted away from defender Andreas Cahilig and slammed the ball home with two hands.
Both Nards Pinto and Brownlee made huge plays earlier, with Pinto sinking a three-pointer to end a 102-all tie and Brownlee scoring on a drive to give Ginebra a 107-104 lead with a minute to go.
Brownlee made two crucial blocks on Williams in the game’s final minute, helping the Kings seal a victory before the All-Star break.
When the game against TNT resumes, the Kings will have a chance to secure the number one seed in the playoffs.
In the absence of LA Tenorio and Japeth Aguilar, the Kings notched a crucial victory against Terrafirma thanks to the tenacious play of their remaining core players.
While Brownlee scored 38 points and added six assists, five blocks, and three rebounds, Christian Standhardinger once again had outstanding all-around numbers, tallying 23 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists.
Malonzo put on another dunk show en route to 16 points, 13 boards, and 3 assists, and Scottie Thompson scored 13 points and added 5 boards and 3 assists.
Tim Cone only used seven men in the game, with Stanley Pringle and Jeremiah Gray coming off the bench.
Williams scored 35 points and grabbed 10 rebounds to lead the Dyip in a valiant effort. (SB)
The Result:
Brownlee scored 38 points, Standhardinger 23, Malonzo 16, Thompson 13, Pinto 9, Gray 7, and Pringle 3 scored 3 for Ginebra.
J. Williams (35 points), Tiongson (18 points), Camson (11 points), Gomez de Liano (eight points), Calvo (7), Cahilig (7), Mina (7), Daquioag (3), Cabagnot (3), Ramos (3), Gabayni (2), Ferrer (0), and Alolino (0) all scored for Terrafirma (104).
Quarters: 26-24, 52-48, 78-79, 109-104
Final Thoughts
Barangay Ginebra’s victory against Terrafirma was crucial, as it secured them a twice-to-beat advantage heading into the PBA Governors Cup quarterfinals. Even though they have one more game to play against TNT Tropang Giga, they are guaranteed a Top 4 spot in the single round-robin eliminations.
The game was a nail-biter, with both teams playing tenaciously until the end. While Brownlee and Standhardinger had outstanding performances, Malonzo’s dunk show and Thompson’s contribution were also crucial to the team’s victory. PBA Governors Cup Betting fans will be excited about Ginebra’s chance to secure the number one seed in the playoffs, as they face off against TNT Tropang Giga. Despite having only seven men in the game, Coach Tim Cone led the Kings to their fifth consecutive win, while Dyip was eliminated from the playoffs with a 2-9 record. Although Dyip’s last two games were close matches, Ginebra is sure to bring their best to the game.