Hatfield hit 30 points and topped off a 14-rebound night with two crucial offensive boards in the dying seconds as Barangay Ginebra held off Talk ‘N Text, 94-91, in overtime to get back into playoff contention in the Commissioner’s Cup.
The 6-foot-4 Hatfield came through with his best scoring night before a mammoth Smart Araneta Coliseum crowd, giving the Gin Kings a much-needed lift after the team missed 16 free throws for the night, 11 of them from import Jackson Vroman.
Vroman—whose free-throw misses included three airballs in the fourth period—also had 19 boards and eight assists.
Willy Wilson actually scored the final five Ginebra points inside the last 2:41. He completed a three-point play off Ranidel de Ocampo that shoved the Kings ahead for good, 92-91, and then canned two charities with 1:13 left for what turned out to be the final count.
The win was the first for the Kings in three games and the second in four outings with Vroman around.
Ginebra rose to 4-3 but not after bungling a chance to win it all in regulation, which ended at 87-all, after several failed attempts in the last 90 seconds.
In the curtain raiser, Powerade flaunted its best game so far to blow Air21 off the floor, 121-92, and take another step closer to a second straight playoff stint.
“It’s just good that we won,” Ginebra coach Siot Tanquingcen said. “We just have to do our best every game because anybody is capable of beating anybody at this stage of the tournament.”
The scores:
First Game
POWERADE 121—David 32, Lassiter 22, Anthony 10, Allera 10, Jones 8, Vanlandingham 7, Casio 6, Adducul 6, Martinez 5, Lingganay 5, Cruz 4, Crisano 3, Antonio 3, Kramer 0, Calimag 0.
AIR 21 92—Douthit 18, Omolon 17, Duncil 10, Isip 10, Hubalde 8, Sena 6, Jazul 5, Aquino 4, Ritualo 4, Mirza 3, Espiritu 3, Sison 2, Escobal 2.
Quarters: 30-22, 54-47, 87-63, 121-92
Second Game
GINEBRA 94—Hatfield 30, Vroman 24, Cortez 11, Caguioa 10, W. Wilson 6, Helterbrand 5, J. Wilson 2, Ababou 2, Villanueva 2, Raymundo 2, Labagala 0.
TALK ‘N TEXT 91—De Ocampo 23, Harvey 15, Castro 12, Fonacier 11, Dillinger 10, Alapag 10, Williams 6, Carey 3, Aguilar 1, Reyes 0.
Quarters: 19-23, 43-45, 69-71, 87-87, 94-91