Kings down Texters; Bolts outclass Blaze

Two nights after a narrow escape against the lowliest squad in the PBA Philippine Cup, Barangay Ginebra chopped down powerhouse Talk ‘N Text, 104-101, last night at Mall of Asia Arena.

Mark Caguioa returned from a busted left eyebrow in the first quarter to anchor a solid offensive game by the Kings, shooting 22 points that went with 11 rebounds as Barangay Ginebra picked up its fourth win in nine games.

This winning streak comes on the heels of a five-game slide that had the Kings fall near the bottom of the standings for quite a while.

LA Tenorio played his best game as a King, tossing in 21, with Rudy Hatfield coming off the bench to fire 12 points, grab 14 rebounds and issue four assists.

The loss was just the second in nine games for the defending champion Texters, who drew 20 points and 10 rebounds from Ranidel de Ocampo and 18 points and eight assists from Jason Castro.

“A few days ago we would have flunked it,” Ginebra coach Siot Tanquingcen, referring to the close finish after the Texters tried coming back from several 11-point deficits. “The biggest part is heart, it’s our desire to win.”

Caguioa suffered a cut after being accidentally hit by a wayward Ali Peek elbow with 2:21 left in the first period, but the reigning MVP returned to shoot 18 of his points in the final three quarters, including eight in the fourth that helped keep the Texters at bay.

Meralco earlier rode a sizzling third quarter to slip past Petron Blaze, 95-81, and close in on the leaders.

Solomon Mercado scored 14 points—including 11 straight— in a 24-11 rampage at the start of the second half by the high-voltage Bolts, who bloated a 45-38 halftime edge to 69-49 and improved to 5-3.

Reynel Hugnatan missed just two shots from the field and finished with 22 points while Mac Cardona, who was a rebound short of a triple double, hit a big triple that restored a 15-point Meralco lead late in the fourth quarter.

The scores:

First Game

MERALCO 95—Mercado 22, Hugnatan 22, Cardona 16, Hodge 15, Ross 9, Buenafe 6, Salvacion 3, Reyes 2, Belencion 0, Bulawan 0, Borboran 0.

PETRON BLAZE 81—Cabagnot 19, Lutz 13, Santos 10, Duncil 9, Miranda 8, Yeo 7, Faundo 6, Washington 5, Mallari 2, Sison 2, Lassiter 0.

Quarters: 25-20, 45-38, 69-51, 95-81

Second Game

GINEBRA 104—Caguioa 22, Tenorio 21, Hatfield 12, Ellis 11, Helterbrand 11, Mamaril 9, Maierhofer 6, Espiritu 5, Wilson 4, Taha 3, Labagala 0.

TALK ‘N TEXT 101—De Ocampo 20, Castro 18, Alapag 17, Fonacier 16, Williams 11, Reyes 5, Aban 5, Peek 5, Ferriols 2, Carey 2, Gamalinda 0, Dillinger 0.

Quarters: 32-29, 54-48, 83-72, 104-101