Inquirer Sports Performer of the Week: Mark Caguioa

MANILA, Philippines—Every victory is crucial to Ginebra’s claim to make it to the next round.

And Mark Caguioa was up to the task of delivering the goods to the Gin Kings in the crucial stretch of the elimination round of the 2012 PBA Commissioners’ Cup.

The veteran guard exploded in the second half and carried Ginebra to a momentum-shifting 91-81 victory over Barako Bull last Sunday.

Caguiao unleashed all but six of his total 25 points in the second half where the Gin Kings pulled away for good from the gritty Energy, which warranted him the Inquirer Sports Performer of the Week citation.

Caguiao, which has been Ginebra’s main man for the past decade, sparked the run which stretched what was a three-point gap at the half, 44-41, to as huge as 15 points in the payoff period.

Caguiao also hauled down seven boards and registered two steals.

The victory gave the Gin Kings, who has been bereft of a title for quite a while now, a quarterfinals berth and even a fighting chance for a playoff for the coveted twice-to-beat incentive.

Caguioa edged the athletic Fil-American Clifford Hodge for the Performer of the Week honors for the week March 21 to 28.

Hodge produced an indentical 20 points and 10 rebounds statline in the first two victories of the NLEX Road Warriors in the 2012 PBA D-League Foundation Cup.