MANILA – No fans? No problem for Ginebra!
The Barangay began their bubble campaign in the Philippine Basketball Association season on a high note, taking down a gritty NLEX Road Warriors squad, 102-92, at the Angeles University Foundation Sports and Cultural Center on Sunday night.
Despite banking on a hot start that saw the team burying six triples in the first quarter, Ginebra had to engage in a game of spurts in which NLEX crawled back in the second quarter to force a 48-all tie at halftime, Ginebra taking over in the third quarter to retake the lead, 83-75, and NLEX waxed hot again at the start of the fourth to cut the lead to three, 85-82, with 9:17 left.
Aljon Mariano delivered key baskets that capped the game-turning 10-0 run for the Barangay to pull away for good.
Mariano finished with 20 points on 8-of-13 shooting, five rebounds, four assists, and one steal for Ginebra.
Stanley Pringle and Scottie Thompson each added 12 points with the latter also grabbing 11 rebounds, five assists, two steals, and one block as they stepped up for LA Tenorio, who played through the aftermath of a surgery he had earlier this month.
JR Quinahan made 26 points on 11-of-15 shooting including a perfect 3-for-3 from beyond the arc, one rebound, one assist, two blocks, and one steal for NLEX, but he was ejected late in the third quarter. (PNA)
