Kings escape

Dragged into a seesaw battle by a severely undermanned enemy on Sunday night, Barangay Ginebra coach Tim Cone actually wished he saw a different outcome, which could serve his team better in the longer term.

“We were better off losing this game,” Cone said after his Gin Kings rallied in the waning minutes before pulling off a 104-97 decision of GlobalPort at Smart Araneta Coliseum for their second straight PBA Philippine Cup win and a share of the early lead.

“That’s what teams coming from championships do,” he said. “They sleepwalk for three-and-a-half quarters and try to win the game down the stretch. After [winning the Governors’ Cup], they feel like they can just show up [on the floor] and win.”

“I am very disturbed by that,” he went on after Ginebra trailed more than three-fourths of the way against a Batang Pier crew that was without its leading scorer, Terrence Romeo.

GlobalPort was ahead for the last time at 96-95 after a Stanley Pringle triple heading into the final three minutes before a Japeth Aguilar three-point play touched off a 9-1 closing spurt by the Gin Kings.

But Cone wasn’t impressed at all even if Ginebra tied four-peat-seeking San Miguel Beer on top at 2-0 and the Batang Pier slumped to a second straight loss.

Earlier, Phoenix Petroleum notched a second straight win but the man responsible for its new look still thinks the Fuel Masters are still far from contending with the elite teams.

“It’s too early to tell,” Louie Alas, who assumed head coaching chores this season, said after a 102-95 win over NLEX. “We are still 2 to 3 players away before we can contend with the elite.”

Phoenix tied NLEX at 2-1.

The scores:

First Game

PHOENIX 102—Wright 19, Chan 18, Jazul 15, Perkins 14, Chua 12, Kramer 10, Revilla 6, Wilson 2, Intal 2, Dehesa 2, Eriobu 2, Alolino 0.

NLEX 95—Fonacier 22, Tiongson 12, Miranda 10, Quinahan 10, Al-Hussaini 8, Ravena 8, Taulava 6, Alas 6, Baguio 4, Gotladera 3, Ighalo 3, Buenafe 3.
Quarters: 19-25, 54-53, 88-73, 102-95

Second Game

GINEBRA 104—Aguilar 21, Slaughter 18, Tenorio 17, Mariano 11, Cruz 10, Thompson 9, Ferrer 8, Caguioa 7, Taha 3.

GLOBALPORT 97—Anthony 29, Pringle 23, Nabong 12, Sargent 12, Grey 9, Guinto 7, Arana 5, Taha 0, Elorde 0, Flores 0, Gabayni 0.
Quarters: 19-23, 46-48, 68-77, 104-97