Source: pba.ph
BARANGAY Ginebra already has its own motivation against Air21 Wednesday and didn't need Express Ogie
Menor to add on to it.
But Menor did and the result was the Kings getting fired up even more for a 103-87 victory that
assured the Kings a playoff spot for an automatic semifinals slot in the PBA Commissioner's Cup at
the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Barangay Ginebra did not lose composure despite a fracas involving Menor, who was reactivated only
last Friday in the course of Air21's 91-101 loss to Meralco.
Menor, relegated to reserve status just before the team formerly known as Shopinas.com wound up its
winless debut in the Philippine Cup, again showed his toughie side by incurring the ire of Kings
import Jackson Vroman with a hard bump in the last 45 seconds of the second period.
The hard-nosed guard got a technical for that and was again teed up and promptly ejected following a
confrontation with Ginebra forward Willie Wilson and assistant coach Allan Caidic while the teams
were on their way to their respective dugouts at halftime.
Barangay Ginebra seemed to have gotten stoked up even more due to the incidents, putting on a mighty
second half show that resulted in as much as a 22-point fourth quarter lead for the perennial crowd
favorites.
Vroman did not see action in the last 25 minutes of the game but the Kings' locals, led by Mike
Cortez, proved up to the task of carrying on the fight enroute to their third straight win ending
the nine-game eliminations.
The victory jacked Ginebra's win-loss record to 6-3, tying it with B-Meg.
Defending champion Talk N Text aims for the outright semis berth and the No. 1 seed in the playoffs
when it faces Petron Blaze later in the evening. Should the Boosters win it will be the Llamados
claiming No. 1 and Ginebra plays off with the Texters Friday for the No. 2 slot and the lone
remaining automatic semis seat.
Should TNT win, Ginebra and B-Meg square off for the No. 2 position.
Kings coach Siot Tanquingcen is just glad his team is just one more win away from an outright semis
berth and said he just relishes the opportunity given them.
"Wala kaming mapagpilian," said Tanquingcen. "Kung sino malalaglag. May oportunidad sa outright kaya
kahit sino matapat, buhos na lahat."
The Kings won over TNT by three but lost to B-Meg by 16, but Tanquingcen one is as tough as the
other.
"Both of them have different strengths," he said. "It should come down to how we basically defend.
Kahit sa B-Meg game namin, last four minutes or so we lost steam lang. Against Talk N Text naman,
they played more of a Ginebra-type of game."
Barangay Ginebra's win also meant Barako Bull nabs No. 5 and will be playing off in the
best-of-three quarterfinals against No. 4 seed Alaska. The No. 3 seed takes on the winner of the
do-or-die playoff, set also Friday, for No. 6 between Powerade and Meralco.
Marcus Douthit scored 19 points and grabbed 23 reboundes for Air21, which absorbed its fourth
straight loss and wound up at 10th and last place for the second straight conference.
RJ Jazul also finished with 19 points, anchored on six triples, while Nelbert Omolon, James Sena and
Ren-Ren Ritualo each had at least 10 points for the Express. But all of their collective efforts
paled to the more balanced attack of their Ginebra counterparts.
Vroman scattered 19 points and 13 rebounds while Cortez had 18 points and a game-high nine assists.
Mark Caguioa's 13 points was the only other double-digit output by a King but eight of the nine
other players fielded by Tanquingcen scored and five of those had at least eight each.
Barangay Ginebra's sustained attack was at its fieriest in the second half and capped by a 17-6
assault starting the fourth period that gave the Kings their biggest lead at 95-73.
What Tanquingcen was proudest of was the way his players stepped up on defense, holding the Express
to just a 33-for-87 field shooting.
"Sa depensa kami talaga nakakuha ng energy," he stated. "I think iyun ang key para sa amin."
The aftermath of the Menor incidents immediately took concrete shape as Barangay Ginebra padded a
53-42 at the turn to 17 points twice, the last at 78-61, before going to the final canto with an
11-point spread.
Then the Kings let loose all stops. (NC)
The scores:
BARANGAY GINEBRA 103 - Vroman 19, Cortez 18, Caguioa 13, Ababou 9, Raymundo 9, W. Wilson 8,
Villanueva 8, Hatfield 8, Labagala 6, J. Wilson 3, Canaleta 2, Mamaril 0.
AIR21 87 - Douthit 19, Jazul 19, Omolon 15, Sena 11, Ritualo 10, Hubalde 7, Isip 4, Escobal 2, Sison
0, Espiritu 0, Menor 0, Duncil 0.
Quarterscores: 26-25, 53-42, 78-67, 103-87
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