LA TENORIO and Greg Slaughter knocked down big shots down the stretch as Barangay Ginebra turned back Star Hotshots, 92-87, before a huge Sunday crowd in the Oppo PBA Commissioner’s Cup at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Dragged into a tight endgame, the Gin Kings showed steely resolve to hold off the Hotshots, who caught fire in the third period.
Tenorio broke an 87-all deadlock by burying a jumper with 32 seconds remaining and after a Denzel Bowles miss on the other end, Slaughter completed a three-point play off the Star import to wrap up the victory in front of 16,132 spectators.
“We settled, we didn’t panic and worked our way back into the game which means we’re growing up a little bit,” said Ginebra coach Tim Cone, after the Gin Kings evened their card to 2-2 while sending the Hotshots to their fourth loss in five games.
Earlier, Meralco extended its unbeaten start to five games with a 96-88 thumping of Globalport.
The Bolts found an unlikely hero in Anjo Caram whose intensity and aggressiveness on both ends of the floor worked wonders down the stretch.
The 5-foot-8 Caram pushed the Meralco lead to 92-85 with a short jumper with more than a minute left before the Bolts came through with a tough defensive stand to finish off the Batang Pier who fell to 2-3.
GINEBRA’S Japeth Aguilar barrels his way to the basket against James Yap (left) and Mark Barroca of Star. AUGUST DELA CRUZ
“Anjo brings a lot to the team because he’s a very good defensive player,” said Meralco coach Norman Black. “Our bench has been doing a good job.”
Jared Dillinger and Chris Newsome combined for 32 points for the Bolts who outscored the Batang Pier, 31-23, in the final period.
“It’s a good feeling to keep the train going,” said Black. “We’re moving up 5-0 and it’s going to help us down the line if we’re going to stumble.”
The Gin Kings threatened to rip the game wide open in the second quarter, but Star rallied mightily in the third frame with Mark Barroca waxing hot from beyond the arc, hitting three triples to turn a 48-56 deficit to a 74-66 advantage heading into the final period.
Ginebra import Otthyus Jeffers pumped in 23 points and grabbed 15 rebounds, while the frontline duo of Japeth Aguilar and Slaughter chipped in 29 points and 17 boards.
The scores:
First Game
MERALCO 96—Dillinger 17, Newsome 15, Onuaku 13, Hugnatan 12, Amer 9, Caram 8, Hodge 6, David 5, Nabong 4, Alapag 3, Bono 2, Faundo 2.
GLOBALPORT 88—Warner 29, Romeo 18, Semerad 11, Taha 11, Uyloan 7, Mamaril 6, Washington 4, Kramer 2, Jensen 0, Pena 0, Sumang 0.
Quarters: 25-27, 40-38, 65-65, 96-88
Second Game
GINEBRA 92—Jeffers 23, Aguilar 15, Slaughter 14, Tenorio 12, Caguioa 8, Ellis 8, Mercado 7, Thompson 3, Devance 2, Marcelo 0.
STAR 87—Barroca 16, Bowles 15, Simon 14, Pingris 13, Yap 10, Maliksi 9, Pascual 6, Reavis 2, Sangalang 2, Melton 0.
Quarters: 29-24, 56-48, 66-74, 92-87