Jay R. Gotera
MANILA — The Barangay Ginebra Kings battled the upstart Blackwater Elite on nearly even terms for three quarters before finally breaking free in the endgame en route to a 89-79 victory in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Sunday night.
The Kings thus improved to a 4-3 win-loss card, taking solo fourth in the team standings behind Alaska (4-1), Meralco (5-2) and San Miguel Beer (3-2).
The Elite absorbed its fourth loss in seven games.
Import Othyus Jeffers led Ginebra with 23 points, 14 rebounds, and six assists. LA Tenorio played one of his best games in the season, finishing with 20 markers, eight assists, and four rebounds.
Jeffers and Tenorio combined for 15 points in the fourth quarter when the Kings finally found good separation from the leech-like Elite.
Ginebra’s twin towers Greg Slaughter and Japeth Aguilar also dished out their A-game. Slaughter finished with 16 points, nine boards, and four blocks, while Aguilar added 14 markers, eight rebounds, and three blocks.
From a shaky 76-73 lead midway in the final period, the Kings sparked a 13-6 run, giving them a lead the Elite found too much to overhaul.
MJ Rhett paced Blackwater (3-4) with a huge double-double of 24 points and 23 rebounds.
Carlo Lastimosa added 19 markers while Mike Cortez chipped in 12 in a losing effort.
Tropang TNT 85, NLEX 80
Languishing in the cellar and with a depleted roster to boot, the defending champion TNT Tropang Texters gained some measure of pride and respect, turning back the NLEX Road Warriors, 85-80.
More importantly, their third victory in seven games lifted the Texters into a four-way tie for seventh to 10th place in the team standings in the company of Blackwater, Star and NLEX, the team they just beat.
The Texters missed the services of Jayson Castro, their injured top gunner and playmaker, as well as Larry Fonacier, another reliable shooter from long range. The two could not make it due to injuries sustained in their team’s last game.
Import David Simon paced the Texters with 23 points, 16 boards, four blocks, and three steals.
Reserve guard Jai Reyes stepped in for Castro, contributing 11 markers, the same score made by Harvey Carey.
Playing with a sense of urgency, the Texters quickly raced to a double-digit lead, extending the margin to as much as 27 points early in the third quarter.
The Road Warriors finally found their fighting form, coming to within three points, 81-78, after Sean Anthony converted two charities.
But Simon rudely shut the door on NLEX’s comeback hopes by scoring on a three-point play with a little over a minute left, effectively sealing TNT’s victory.
Tireless NBA veteran Al Thornton played for nearly the entire game without relief as he paced NLEX with 35 points. Rookie Garvo Lanete added 20 markers.
Games Wednesday: Mahindra Enforcers (3-3) vs. Rain or Shine Elasto Painters (3-3) and San Miguel Beermen (3-2) vs. Alaska Aces (4-1).
