Ginebra whips ROS in Final 4 opener

Barangay Ginebra missed the other half of its towering frontline and had a lemon of an import during its last scuffle with Rain or Shine.

Playing at full strength this time, the Gin Kings got back at the Elasto Painters with a 102-89 win in the opener of their best-of-five semifinal tussle in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at Smart Araneta Coliseum on Sunday night.

Greg Slaughter was efficient around the rim and Justin Brownlee thrived at mocking the Painters’ defense as the Gin Kings stretched their victory run to eight games deep into the playoffs.

“The best part about this game was we were able to win it despite not having Japeth (Aguilar) around,” said Ginebra coach Tim Cone.

Aguilar had to sit this one out due to a swollen Achilles tendon he sustained during their quarterfinal series with Meralco.

“We don’t know how long exactly he will be out,” said Cone.

Jeff Chan even added his devastating shooting touch to the misery of his former team as Rain or Shine tried to reverse the outcome with a fightback early in the fourth only to get crushed along the way.

“Jeff is really a great weapon when there are good players around him,” said Cone.

During their previous meeting, Ginebra failed to squeeze the juice out of its former import, Charles Garcia, while the seven-foot Slaughter was still nursing an injury, resulting in a Rain or Shine triumph.

The Painters also couldn’t exploit the absence of Aguilar right from the start.

Brownlee powered his way to 18 points early on and Chan had nine points in a sizzling run capped by a three against his former team that put them ahead, 40-22, early in the second quarter.

But the Painters came storming back with three-pointers from Ed Daquioag and Reggie Johnson as the top-seeded ballclub during the eliminations pulled within a single-digit deficit.

On Monday, San Miguel Beer is expecting a stronger and more tenacious Alaska when it guns for a 2-0 lead in their separate series.

Showing up in full force during Saturday’s Game 1 at Mall of Asia Arena, the Beermen tore the Aces apart, 92-79, to gain headway.

“I know Alaska and that’s not their game. They are capable of doing more,” said Austria, whose Beermen face the Aces anew at 7 p.m.