Mark Caguioa vs Pamboy Raymundo, Harvey Carey and Jason Castro. Photo by Nuki Sabio
MANILA, Philippines—Continuing to improve each game, Barangay Ginebra rolled to a fourth straight victory with a 96-82 drubbing of Talk ‘N Text Sunday night that rounded out the final playoff standings in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Mark Caguioa scored 18 points, had seven rebounds and six assists, and Mike Cortez clinched the Player of the Game plum for the third straight game as the Gin Kings wound up with a 9-5 card for the No. 4 spot and sealed a best-of-three series with Rain or Shine.
The Elasto Painters earlier clipped Alaska, 91-85, to also finish with a 9-5 tally but dropped to No. 5 in the rankings because of an inferior quotient.
Idle Petron Blaze was the other team with the same record but earned third seeding and a clash with Meralco in a separate race-to-two affair that also starts Friday.
With the loss, the Tropang Texters dropped to No. 2 and drew dangerous Barako Bull, the No. 7 seed which Talk ‘N Text needs to defeat just once to advance to the Final Four.
B-Meg, which won its last eight elimination-round games, topped the first phase with a 10-4 record like the Texters, and will battle young Powerade.
The Texters and the Llamados clash with their lower-ranked foes on Wednesday.
“It’s going to be tough,” Ginebra coach Siot Tanquingcen said of his date with Yeng Guiao and the Elasto Painters. “They beat us (in the inaugurals by one point) and they have become a pretty good team.
“We will try to figure them (Painters) out in the next few days.
Jayson Castro led the Texters with 14 points and Jared Dillinger had 12 like Kelly Williams and Harvey Carey.
The scores:
First Game
RAIN OR SHINE 91—Belga 14, Buenafe 14, Rodriguez 12, Cruz 10, Matias 10, Chan 8, Uyloan 6, Arana 6, Norwood 4, Quianahan 4, Tang 3, Jaime 0.
ALASKA 85—Baguio 21, Tenorio 12, Thoss 12, Reyes 11, Eman 9, Custodio 8, Sotto 8, Salamat 2, Baracael 2, Pasculado 0.
Quarters: 19-20, 42-42, 70-66, 91-85
Second Game
GINEBRA 96—Caguioa 18, Cortez 17, Intal 15, Villanueva 15, Wilson W. 14, Mamaril 8, Labagala 4, Canaleta 3, Tubid 2, Maliksi 0, Cervantes 0, Wilson J. 0.
TALK N’ TEXT 82—Castro 14, Dillinger 12, Williams 12, Carey 12, Fonacier 10, Aguilar 7, Reyes 5, Raymundo 4, Gamalinda 4, Alvarez 2, Weinstein 0, De Ocampo 0.
Quarters: 23-20, 41-45, 64-65, 96-82