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Ginebra dominates NorthPort to get Game 1 of their Semis series
Barangay Ginebra relied on their balanced scoring to capture the win in Game 1 of their PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup semifinal series against NorthPort, 115-93, last night, February 26, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Justin Brownlee led the charge for the Gin Kings, pouring in 19 points, four rebounds, and four assists in just 32 minutes of play.
Brownlee was supported by his local teammates, led by Troy Rosario, who scored 15 points, followed by RJ Abarrientos with 14, while Japeth Aguilar added 11.
The first half of the match was a close battle, with Ginebra holding only a five-point lead over the Batang Pier, 56-51.
However, in the third quarter, the Gin Kings unleashed a barrage of points while locking down NorthPort defensively, outscoring them 32-14.
Heading into the fourth period, Ginebra never looked back, maintaining their commanding lead and still outscoring the Batang Pier 28-27 to secure the victory.
Despite the dominant win, Ginebra coach Tim Cone remained cautious, saying it was just one win in a long series.
Still, the victory is a big boost for a Ginebra team that struggled to get ideal training during the long break, with Cone, Brownlee, Rosario, Scottie Thompson, Jamie Malonzo, Japeth Aguilar, and LA Tenorio all serving duties with Gilas Pilipinas.
Photo Courtesy: PBA
On the other hand, Kadeem Jack, the leading candidate for the Best Import award, led the top-seeded NorthPort with 33 points (21 in the first half) and 12 rebounds but received little support from his local teammates.
Besides Jack, only Joshua Munzon scored in double figures with 10 points, while their leading local scorer, Arvin Tolentino—also the frontrunner in the Best Player of the Conference race—was limited to just eight points.
The Batang Pier need a strong outing to tie the series on 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.
