Ginebra roars to 4th straight win

With a solid effort on both ends in the second half, Barangay Ginebra chopped down one of the hottest teams in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup on Sunday night, scoring a 107-89 ripping of TNT KaTropa that gave the Gin Kings a fourth straight win in the elimination round at Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao.

Ginebra came out of the halftime break with all guns firing and its defense shutting down TNT in the final two frames as it rose to 4-1, after a conference-opening loss, and snapped the Texters’ five-game winning streak in emphatic style.

Justin Brownlee fired 34 points, had 15 rebounds and six assists, and Japeth Aguilar finished with 16 points, 14 boards and five swats.

The Texters lost for the first time in their last six games to be at 5-2, still a win shy of a quarterfinal slot.

Meanwhile, using balanced scoring to make up for the absence of its most prolific gunner, GlobalPort stayed mathematically in the hunt for a playoff berth after tearing Mahindra to shreds, 105-86, in the first game.

Six players, led by Stanley Pringle (24 points), finished in twin digits for the Batang Pier, who didn’t show signs of missing Terrence Romeo as GlobalPort rose to 2-5 overall—two wins coming in its last three games.

The loss was the fifth straight in a 1-7 card for the Floodbuster, who let go of the efficient James White two weeks ago and have continued to struggle with Keith Wright.

With Romeo out because of a bum stomach, GlobalPort’s bench stepped up and put a smile on coach Franz Pumaren’s face.
Four starters finished in double digits while Aaron Aban and Von Pessumal combined for 24 off the bench.

“We’ve been hoping for the bench to contribute,” Pumaren said before praising Romeo for still suiting up despite his illness.

James Forrester, the former collegiate standout with Arellano, got a rare call to start and didn’t disappoint Pumaren, scoring seven points counting what could be the shot of his career—a two-handed dunk off an alley-oop pass to complete a fastbreak.

Wright led Mahindra with 23 points and had nine rebounds and the Floodbuster are now closer to elimination.