Jun Simon plays against KG Canaketa and Rudy Hatfield against Yancy De Ocampo during their game at the Araneta Coliseum on Sunday, May 27, 2012. PHOTO BY RICHARD A. REYES
MANILA, Philippines—Yancy de Ocampo stepped up in the absence of Marc Pingris and Joe Devance as B-Meg held off Barangay Ginebra, 96-88, Sunday night in the 2012 PBA Governors’ Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
De Ocampo wound up with 16 points and eight rebounds in 25 minutes to help the Llamados chalk up their first win in two games.
“Yancy was really the key. They didn’t really have anybody to stop Yancy inside and we kept dumping the ball into him, we made an effort to do that and he really responded,” praised B-Meg head coach Tim Cone.
The Llamados threatened to pull away several times and even led by as much as 16 (49-33), but just couldn’t against a resilient Gin Kings squad.
“They lived up to their reputation as a never-say-die team. They just kept coming back. We had a good shooting night and they didn’t have a good shooting night and that was one of the big differences in the game,” said Cone.
Ginebra moved to within, 77-80, after a Cedric Bozeman triple but B-Meg countered with a 9-1 run capped by a PJ Simon three-point play that extended the gap, 89-78, with 4:05 left.
Simon, though, injured his knee after that basket as he got fouled by Kerby Raymundo and did not return. He finished with a team-high 21 points on a remarkable nine-of-11 shooting from the field.
“PJ had a great game. I hope he’s healthy. I don’t know but he strained his knee. I don’t know the severity of it but I hope it’s not too bad,” a concerned Cone said.
James Yap pumped in 18 points, including timely threes that kept Ginebra at bay while import Marcus Blakely had 13 points, 17 rebounds and five assists to offset his horrible three-of-15 shooting at the line.
Bozeman’s 30 points and 10 rebounds led the Gin Kings, who absorbed their first loss in two stints.
Raymundo came through with 20 points.