Kings in sight of top ranking

ANTIPOLO—Starting out hot and showing mental toughness when things got rough in the stretch, Barangay Ginebra gutted out a 96-87 victory over Phoenix Petroleum last night that kept the Gin Kings in the running for No. 1 ranking in the PBA Governors’ Cup playoffs at Ynares Center here.

After seeing a 20-point lead dwindle to five several times in the fourth, the Kings made the shots that they needed at the crunch to fend off the Fuel Masters and put Phoenix’s advance into the quarterfinals on the bubble.

Justin Brownlee scored 28 points and had nine rebounds, 6-foot rookie Scottie Thompson collared 16 boards with four locals shooting in twin digits for the Kings, who won a fourth straight game and rose to 8-2.

“Phoenix just fought us tooth and nail tonight,” Ginebra coach Tim Cone said.

The win set the tables up for Ginebra’s battle for No. 1 with TNT KaTropa on Sunday at Alonte Sports Center in Biñan, Laguna, with the winner drawing the No. 8 seed in the quarterfinals and needing just one win to make the Final Four.

More importantly, whoever wins the final game of the elimination round in Laguna will effectively avoid a semifinal clash with powerhouse defending champion San Miguel Beer.

Japeth Aguilar fired 12 points and had four blocks, the last a crucial one on Eugene Phelps that helped the Kings keep Phoenix in check.

The Ginebra defense clamped down on Phelps the entire night, holding the prolific import to 24 points on 8-for-25 shooting from the floor. Simon Enciso and Josh Urbiztondo combined for 26 points, with an Enciso triple pushing Phoenix to within 83-78.
Out of it all GlobalPort took to the exit in style, breaking away from Blackwater late in the fourth quarter to post a 139-126 victory in the first game.

Terrence Romeo scored 21 of his 28 points in the final two quarters as GlobalPort closed out with a 4-7 record. Blackwater lost for the eighth straight time in a 1-9 card.

The scores:
First Game
GLOBALPORT 139—Yeo 37, Glover 34, Romeo 28, Pringle 14, Washington 13, Semerad 8, Salvacion 3, Mamaril 2, Fortuna 0, Paredes 0.
BLACKWATER 126—King 28, Sumang 22, Dela Cruz 21, Lastimosa 14, Pascual 13, Gamalinda 11, Pinto 7, Sena 6, Reyes 4, Golla 0.
Quarters: 32-38, 68-70, 99-97, 139-126
Second Game
GINEBRA 96—Brownlee 28, Tenorio 15, Aguilar 12, Devance 12, Mercado 12, Mariano 6, Caguioa 4, Thompson 3, Cruz 2, Marcelo 2, Helterbrand 0.
PHOENIX 87—Phelps 24, Enciso 15, Urbiztondo 11, Buenafe 8, Wilson J. 8, Baguio 7, Lee 5, Intal 4, Miranda 2, Wilson W. 2, Cruz 1, Pennisi 0, Torres 0, Borboran 0.
Quarters: 31-18, 59-40, 78-67, 96-87