Gin Kings topple Batang Pier in their Semi-Finals opener
Barangay Ginebra pulled away in the third quarter to secure a 115-93 victory over NorthPort in Game 1 of their PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup semifinal series last night, February 26, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Gin Kings relied on balanced scoring, led by Justin Brownlee’s 19 points, to take the series opener. He also contributed four rebounds and four assists in just 32 minutes of action.
Troy Rosario followed with 15 points, while RJ Abarrientos added 14, and Japeth Aguilar chipped in 11.
Nearly all players fielded by head coach Tim Cone got on the scoreboard, except for Ben Adamos.
Despite the dominant win, Cone remained grounded, reminding his team that it was only the first step in a long series.
Still, the victory is a significant confidence boost for a Ginebra squad that struggled with limited practice time during the long break. Cone, Brownlee, Rosario, Scottie Thompson, Jamie Malonzo, Japeth Aguilar, and LA Tenorio were all occupied with Gilas Pilipinas commitments.
On the other side, Kadeem Jack—NorthPort’s Best Import frontrunner—put up an impressive 33-point, 12-rebound performance, including 21 points in the first half, keeping his team within striking distance at 51-56 by halftime.
However, he received little offensive support. Joshua Munzon was the only other Batang Pier player in double figures with 10 points.
Arvin Tolentino, a top contender for Best Player of the Conference, was held to just eight points, while William Navarro also finished with eight.
NorthPort will aim to bounce back and even the series in Game 2, scheduled for Friday, February 28, at 5 PM at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig.
The scores:
GINEBRA 115 - Brownlee 19, Rosario 16, Abarrientos 15, Malonzo 14, J. Aguilar 11, Cu 9, Holt 7, Mariano 7, Thompson 6, Ahanmisi 5, R. Aguilar 3, Pessumal 2, Pinto 1, Adamos 0.
NORTHPORT 93 - Jack 33, Munzon 10, Tolentino 8, Navarro 8, Nelle 7, Onwubere 7, Taha 6, Bulanadi 4, Yu 3, Cuntapay 3, Flores 2, Miranda 2.
Quarter Scores: 31-22, 56-51, 88-65, 115-93.
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