Jamie Malonzo. PBA IMAGES
MANILA, Philippines—Still licking its wounds from an embarrassing rout and a narrow loss, Barangay Ginebra vented its ire on Blackwater, 119-93, to get back to its winning ways in the PBA Governors’ Cup on Sunday night.
The defending champions left little room for doubt in the contest at PhilSports Arena in Pasig City, with Christian Standhardinger, Jamie Malonzo, and Justin Brownlee combining for a third of the Gin Kings’ output.
“Coming off the last two losses … but we knew the value of jumping out of that and making sure to beating the teams we’re supposed to beat and I think that was just on everybody’s mind—that we needed to come out and make sure we got this one tonight,” head coach Tim Cone, whose wards arrested a two-game slide dealt by its sister teams Magnolia and San Miguel Beer.
“I don’t think we did anything special, I just think we came out and played our game,” he added.
Standhardinger sustained his fine scoring for a second-straight match, putting up a team-best 27 points that went with six rebounds and five assists. Malonzo then tossed in 25 points while Brownlee 22 as the crowd darlings rose to 4-2 overall. Reigning Most Valuable Player Scottie Thompson accounted for 11.
“We wish we could be a little better, honestly. I wish we could be better than 4-2, but I think 4-2 at this point for us now is acceptable. It keeps us alive for the Top 4. That’s the key thing, the big picture for us,” said Cone, who now joins Brownlee, Malonzo and Thompson in turning their sights on reinforcing Gilas Pilipinas.
Import Shawn Glover paced the Bossing with 14 points in his return. Four more locals finished with at least 11 in the lackluster effort that dealt the club its sixth-straight loss.
The league’s perennial whipping boys have dropped to a ghastly 1-7 record.
The Scores:
GINEBRA 119 – Standhardinger 27, Malonzo 25, Brownlee 22, Thompson 11, Gray 8, Tenorio 6, Pringle 6, Pinto 5, Pessumal 5, Mariano 2, R.Aguilar 0, David 0, Onwubere 0
BLACKWATER 93 – Glover 14, Ular 12, Amer 12, Taha 12, Ilagan 11, McCarthy 9, DiGregorio 9, Escoto 4, Torralba 2, Banal 2 Casio 2, Sena 2, Hill 2
QUARTERS: 37-20, 62-44, 96-74, 119-93