Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
Barangay Ginebra is back to its winning ways after upending Rain or Shine, 101-87, to take a share of the second seed in the 2016 PBA Governors’ Cup Sunday night at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Kings joined the Mahindra Enforcer in second with identical 5-2 records after bouncing back from a 111-105 double-overtime loss to the defending champions San Miguel Beermen exactly a week ago.
Ginebra’s win, however, did not come without a heart-wrenching moments.
Sol Mercado’s back-to-back threes gave Ginebra a 10-point, 73-63, lead in the latter part of the third quarter but Rain or Shine fought back with a 12-4 run that cut the lead to two, 77-75.
Ginebra, though, would not give this game away and sprinted to a 10-3 run with Japeth Aguilar capping it off with a two-handed jam for the 89-78 lead.
“It’s a tough one, nothing comes easy with Rain or Shine,” said Ginebra head coach Tim Cone. “We had to put together three or four stops in a row.”
“After that tough game with San Miguel, it’s a good indication that we are getting closer to where we want to be.”
Justin Brownlee led Ginebra with 31 points, 13 rebounds, and six steals while Sol Mercado waxed hot from deep on 5-of-6 shooting to finish with 19 points.
Jeff Chan led the Elasto Painters (3-3), whose head coach Yeng Guiao got ejected for the second straight game, with 19 points.