GIN KINGS SINIBAK ANG ‘TROPA’, ABANTE SA SEMIS

NALUSUTAN ng Barangay Ginebra ang twice-to-beat disadvantage at ginulantang ang TNT, 115-95, upang makausad sa  semifinals sa PBA Governors’ Cup Sabado sa Araneta Coliseum.

Pinangunahan nina Justin Brownlee, Japeth Aguilar, LA Tenorio at Scottie Thompson ang atake ng sixth-seeded Gin Kings upang makumpleto ang  pagbangon mula sa twice-to-win handicap at ang pagmartsa sa best-of-five semifinals na magsisimula sa Miyerkoles.

Para kay winning coach Tim Cone, ang talunin ng dalawang beses ang isang koponan na tulad ng TNT ay isang malaking achievement.

“It’s really special,” anang 23-time champion.

“I’ve only done it a few times in my career and so it’s always super special to win a twice-to-beat disadvantage,” dagdag ni Cone. “To find a way to do that, it’s really, really hard. The odds are way against you – and against such a huge opponent as TNT.”

Nanguna sa pananalasa ng Ginebra sina Brownlee, na tumapos na may 29 points, 18 rebounds, at 7 assists, at Aguilar, na nagdagdag ng 26 points at 7 boards.

Malaki rin ang naging kontribusyon nina Thompson, na kumamada ng isa pang triple-double na may 17 points, 10 rebounds at 9 assists, at  Tenorio, na umiskor ng  22 points.

Sa kabuuan, ang Kings ay nakapagpasok ng 47 sa 86 shots mula sa field, kabilang ang 9-of-22 mula sa arc, at nangibabaw rin sa boards, 55-36.

Makaraang magmintis sa kanyang unang apat na tira mula sa field, tumapos pa rin si Mikey Williams na may 17 points upang pangunahan ang third-ranked TNT, na nakakuha lamang ng 14 points, 4 rebounds at 5 assists mula sa bagong import na si Leon Gilmore III, na pinalitan si injured rebounding demon Aaron Fuller.

Ayon kay Cone, ang lahat ng ‘lucky breaks’ na ito ay nakatulong sa kanilang panalo.

“We had a lot of good fortune that shined on us,” aniya.

“Fuller apparently got hurt, from what we hear, and they brought in an import who apparently has been here a while. But there’s a lot of difference being in practice shape and game shape. Midway in the second quarter he was cramping up.

“Then we shot the ball really well tonight. It made the game a lot easier when you’re making shots.”  CLYDE MARIANO

Iskor:

Ginebra (115 ) – Brownlee 29, Aguilar 26, Tenorio 22, Thompson 17, Standhardinger 10, Pinto 7, Chan 4, Ayaay 0, Enriquez 0, Caperal 0.

TNT (95) –  M. Williams 17, Gilmore 14, Castro 12, Erram 11, K. Williams 10, Pogoy 9, Rosario 7, Khobuntin 5, Montalbo 4, Cruz 3, Reyes 3, Marcelo 0, Ganuelas-Rosser 0.

QS: 25-29, 59-48, 96-74, 115-95.