Gin Kings rise
Ginebra import Justin Brownlee soars for a layup off three San Miguel Beer defenders in their game on Sunday. —ARNOLD ALMACEN
Running at every given chance to negate the enemy’s advantage in size, Barangay Ginebra led from the start and upended San Miguel Beer with a 107-99 victory, tightening up the top two race in the PBA Philippine Cup eliminations before a boisterous crowd at Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay on Sunday.
LA Tenorio, Scottie Thompson and import Justin Brownlee took turns hitting the shots that stung the Beermen in the stretch as the Gin Kings averted another endgame collapse to bounce back from a loss just two nights before and get back in the running for a twice-to-beat privilege.
In rising to 6-2 overall, Ginebra is just half-a-game out of the lead—now a three-cornered race after the Beermen dropped to 7-2 in a tie with idle Star and Meralco.
And that makes for an interesting ending to this round as a top two finish carries a lot of importance.
Incidentally, the Hotshots and the Bolts dispute what could be the first of those two twice-to-beat privileges this Wednesday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Earlier, Mahindra got career games from two pocket-sized locals to pull off a 122-121 overtime conquest of Phoenix Petroleum that allowed the Floodbuster to keep their wafer-thin hopes of advancing to the playoffs.
LA Revilla scored 26 and rookie Reden Celda 25, counting the game winner.
“We have a good shot at it,” coach Tim Cone said of his Gin Kings’ chances at a top two finish, aided in large part by a questionable call with two minutes left that resulted in three straight free throws that made it 98-90.
That play clearly showed Brownlee warding off Chris Ross in a fastbreak layup try, and when the call went against him, Ross was slapped with a technical foul that had Tenorio converting on the free throw.
“I’ve been in the league the last 27 years and I don’t worry about officiating anymore,” Cone said. “Referees are not consistent anywhere in the world.”
Brownlee finished with 34 points.
