Barako foils Ginebra rally

GINEBRA’S Greg Slaughter pivots to shake off Barako import Solomon Alabi in last night’s game at Alonte Sports Arena in Biñan, Laguna. CONTRIBUTED PHOTO / NUKI SABIO, PBA

BIÑAN, Laguna—Playing with steely resolve on both ends, Barako Bull kept Barangay Ginebra winless in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup after grinding out a 69-68 victory last night for a piece of the elimination-round lead at Alonte Sports Arena here.

The Energy, who thumped import-less Blackwater last week, showed they can conquer a fancied side by chopping down the hulking Gin Kings to size, surviving a scoreless spell in the last 1:26 to rise to 2-0 overall.

Continuing to play way below its potential, Ginebra slumped to its second straight defeat.

Lost in the upset of the Gin Kings was the scintillating 88-78 triumph of Talk ‘N Text over the Elite earlier as import Richard Howell scored 19 points in the fourth quarter to give the Tropang Texters a share of the lead.

Howell, the winner of the Best Import award last season, was scoreless in the first period but shot 17 in a 24-5 Texters run in the fourth that easily erased a 60-66 deficit.

Also with a 2-0 card is idle Meralco, which won on opening day against the Kings, 85-74.

The Elite, with Marcus Douthit of Gilas Pilipinas as reinforcement in lieu of ailing import Chris Charles, also fell to 0-2.

Sol Mercado and Chico Lanete combined for all of the Energy’s final nine points, with Mercado scoring on a coast-to-coast short stab off LA Tenorio which made it 69-63, heading into the final 1:26.

Ginebra didn’t just fade after that. The Kings drew five straight points from Joseph Yeo in a 17-second span that had them creeping to what turned out to be the final score.

The Kings had a chance to win it but Yeo missed a three-pointer at the buzzer.

The scores:

First Game

TALK ‘N TEXT 88—Howell 29, Castro 22, Washington 8, Alas 8, Miller 8, De Ocampo 7, Carey 2, Williams 2, Aban 2, Labagala 0, Fonacier 0, Espiritu 0, Reyes 0.

BLACKWATER 78—Faundo 19, Douthit 14, Acuna 12, Heruela 10, Celiz 7, Timberlake 5, Gamalinda 5, Reyes 4, Erram 2, Austria 0, Laure 0, Ballesteros 0, Bulawan 0, Ciriacruz 0.

Quarters: 19-17, 41-39, 60-66, 88-78

Second Game

BARAKO 69—Lanete 17, Intal 14, Alabi 13, Marcelo 11, Mercado 7, Garcia 5, Lastimosa 1, Pascual 1, Pena 0, Hubalde 0, Salvador 0, Wilson 0, Salva 0, Paredes 0, Sorongon 0.

GINEBRA 68—Slaughter 18, Dunigan 11, Caguioa 10, Baracael 8, Yeo 7, Urbiztondo 5, Tenorio 4, Mamaril 3, Aguilar 2, Monfort 0, Helterbrand 0, Ababou 0, Ellis 0, Brondial 0.

Quarters: 15-12, 28-34, 50-50, 69-68