MANILA — The defending champion Barangay Ginebra Kings emerged on top in a classic thriller of a game against top rival Star Hotshots, winning 105-101 in overtime in the PBA Governors’ Cup Sunday night.

The victory, their sixth straight after debuting with a loss, lifted Ginebra to the top of the standings.

A split from the charity stripe by Justin Brownlee gave Ginebra the lead for good at 102-101 with 1:39 left in overtime. Japeth Aguilar then scored on a putback that sealed the win for the Kings in a game that drew over 15,000 fans at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.

Brownlee powered Ginebra with 33 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, two steals, and one block. Greg Slaughter and Joe Devance scored 17 points apiece. LA Tenorio and Aguilar added 13 and 12 markers, respectively. Scottie Thompson also contributed to the Ginebra win with seven points, 10 rebounds and six assists.

Ginebra was up, 95-92, and could have won the game in regulation, but Aguilar mistakenly fouled Malcolm Hill while taking a three-point shot with 0.6 of a second left. Star’s 21-year-old import then coolly sank all three free throws to send the game into overtime.

It was the first time that Ginebra had won a close game, having defeated its opponents by an average of 15.4 points in five games this conference.

The Hotshots suffered their second straight loss after starting the conference with four straight wins. Hill paced his team with 28 points. Paul Lee led Star’s locals with 22 markers. Mark Barroca added 14, Ramos chipped in 11, while Ian Sangalang and Rafi Reavis scored 10 points apiece in a losing cause.

NLEX 109, GlobalPort 99

The resurgent NLEX Road Warriors moved a game away from a Top 4 berth, defeating the GlobalPort Batang Pier, 109-99—their seventh win in 9 games.

Aaron Fuller once again led NLEX with a huge double-double of 33 points and 20 boards. But it was unheralded guard Juami Tiongson who proved to be the biggest difference in the game, scoring a career-high 21 points, including 5-of-7 from beyond the three-point arc. He pumped in 14 of his points, including four of his three-pointers, in the fourth quarter, allowing NLEX to quash a furious rally by the Batang Pier.

JR Quinahan added 18 points while Kevin Alas and Cyrus Baguio added 12 and 10 markers, respectively.

Alex Mallari also shone for coach Yeng Guiao’s team, scoring 8 points, including two clutch baskets in the end game that sealed the win for NLEX.

GlobalPort played minus Stanley Pringle who took a hurried flight home after receiving an emergency call from his family concerning his ailing father in the United States. Pringle exploded for a career-high 30 points in GlobalPort’s stunning victory over TNT KaTropa in their last game.

Murphy Holloway led GlobalPort with 29 points, 17 rebounds, six assists, six steals, and three blocks. Terrence Romeo added 24 points and four assists. But the two combined for 15 turnovers as the Batang Pier absorbed their fourth loss in 7 games.

The game also saw the return to the PBA of Mac Cardona after a year of absence due to a family problem that led him to nearly take his own life. The 35-year-old guard reunited with his college coach, GlobalPort's Franz Pumaren, and La Salle teammates Ryan Arana and Mike Cortez. Cardona played for just 8 minutes, scoring 4 points on 2-of-4 shooting, two rebounds against one turnover.

Games Wednesday: TNT KaTropa Texters (4-3) vs. Meralco Bolts (5-1) and San Miguel Beermen (3-3) vs. Rain or Shine Elasto Painters (4-2).