Ginebra import Justin Brownlee. PBA IMAGES
MANILA, Philippines—Barangay Ginebra prevented a late-game collapse and overcame Blackwater, 109-100, stopping its four-game skid in the 2021-22 PBA Governors’ Cup Friday at Ynares Center in Antipolo.
The Gin Kings got to .500 territory and improved to a 4-4 record to get into a three-way tie for the sixth seed with Phoenix and TNT.
A 30-point lead, 83-53, midway through the third couldn’t give Ginebra enough stability in the latter stages as the Bossing threw everything in the fourth outscoring the Gin Kings 36-20.
Blackwater got to within seven, 105-98, after Shawn Glover converted on an easy layup off of Andre Paras’ inside feed with 1:35 to play.
Another Casio long bomb; BWB trails 92-103. #PBAiTuloyAngLaban pic.twitter.com/QeXuziWbC5
— PBA (@pbaconnect) February 25, 2022
The Bossing’s comeback eventually fizzled out after JVee Casio fouled out with 54 seconds left.
Ginebra head coach Tim Cone lamented how his bench couldn’t control Blackwater in the fourth thus forcing him to return his starters to finish the game off.
“I’m not a guy who uses his bench early, but tonight I did it, that’s a lesson learned,” said Cone. “Our guys in the bench couldn’t control the game like we hoped for and the starters had to come back and save them.”
“We established a big lead in the third but we let them come back. We let our guard down for a bit but this is the big leagues, anybody can get hot and come back.”
The loss meant that the Bossing are officially eliminated from the quarterfinal race as they dropped to 0-8 in the conference.
Justin Bronwlee led Ginebra with 25 points, eight rebounds, six assists, and two steals while Japeth Aguilar added 18 points and eight boards.
Glover put up 29 points and six rebounds to lead the Bossing while Casio, who’s averaging five points in the conference, added 27 points, on 8-of-13 shooting from deep, five rebounds, six assists, and two steals.