Aces torch Kings; B. Pier whip Elite

GLOBALPORT’S Stanley Pringle (left) has the edge in this loose ball scramble with Blackwater’s Brian Heruela in last night’s game at the Big Dome. AUGUST DELA CRUZ

Alaska showed the need for Romeo Travis last night, and the import initially referred to as LeBron James’ close friend and former college teammate showed what he can do.

Playing a lot more than he did compared to his debut, Travis scored 34 points and grabbed 16 rebounds in leading the Aces to a 108-99 thumping of Barangay Ginebra to keep their share of the PBA Governors’ Cup lead at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Travis scored 11 points in the first period and 10 in the second as he spearheaded the Aces to a rip-roaring 14-0 start for the wire-to-wire win, their second in as many starts, that tied them with Globalport, which scored a 100-76 ripping of Blackwater in the first game.

“He had a tremendous game today,” Alaska coach Alex Compton said of his import, whom he played for only 28 minutes in a 106-80 rout of the Elite in the inaugurals last Tuesday.

“He’s like a general in the court, he sees everything and he talks to everyone,” Compton added of Travis, the NBA superstar James’ high school teammate at St. Vincent’s.

Ginebra never recovered from its sloppy start, trailing by as many as 22 points early in the second period as Frankie Lim’s debut as the Gin Kings’ head coach got off to a sloppy start.

Import Orlando Johnson scored 50 points in one of the highest debuts by an import ever. But after the 14 of Mark Caguioa, no other player was able to contribute in twin digits for the Gin Kings, who missed the services of mainstays Greg Slaughter, Japeth Aguilar and Chris Ellis.

In the first game, Stanley Pringle returned from sick bay to energize Globalport into its finest conference-opening start.

The super rookie scored all of his 18 points in the middle two quarters coming off the bench as the Batang Pier started out 2-0 for the first time in nine total conferences in the league.

Terrence Romeo shot 20 points, but it was clear that Pringle was the key to the Batang Pier’s win last night as they raced to a 49-32 lead at halftime.

The scores:

First Game

GLOBALPORT 100—Romeo 20, Pringle 18, Buenafe 16, O’Bryant 11, Kramer 7, Mamaril 6, Isip 6, Pinto 4, Jensen 4, Semerad 3, Miranda 3, Krayem 2, Taha 0, Ponferada 0, Caperal 0.

BLACKWATER 76—Douthit 24, Cervantes 11, Reyes 9, Laure 8, Heruela 7, Celiz 6, Salvacion 5, Golla 2, Gamalinda 2, Acuna 2, Timberlake 0, Erram 0, Bulawan 0, Ballesteros 0.

Quarters: 19-13, 49-32, 79-49, 100-76

Second Game

ALASKA 108—Travis 34, Hontiveros 11, Jazul 10, Abueva 9, Banchero 8, Menk 7, Manuel 6, Baguio 5, Exciminiano 5, Casio 5, Thoss 4, Dela Rosa 4.

GINEBRA 99—Johnson 50, Caguioa 14, Mercado 8, Helterbrand 8, Tungalag 8, Tenorio 3, Baracael 3, Marcelo 2, Brondial 2, Pena 1.

Quarters: 29-12, 54-45, 81-75, 108-99