Thompson Dazzles as Kings trip Aces

Games today (Smart Araneta Coliseum)

4:30 p.m. – Rain or Shine vs Star

6:45 p.m. – NLEX vs San Miguel

MANILA, Philippines - Barangay Ginebra banked on Scottie Thompson’s superb all-around effort as it fended off Alaska’s late charge to fashion out a 94-80 victory last night and bolster its bid in the PBA Governors’ Cup at the Hoops Dome in Lapu Lapu City, Cebu.

Thompson fell two points short of completing a triple-double performance with 10 rebounds and 11 assists as he powered the Kings to their fourth straight win after dropping their opening game.

The Aces battled back from 21 points down in the third quarter with a big run late in the fourth to close in at 87-78 on a triple by JV Casio and a hook shot by Sonny Thoss with a little over two minutes remaining in the contest.

But they ran out of time and the Kings hit clutch baskets to secure the victory and keep their win run going.

The setback sent the hard-luck Alaska side to its sixth straight defeat and 14th overall dating back to the Commissioner’s Cup.

The Kings, with Japeth Aguilar back from his Gilas Pilipinas stint in the FIBA Asia Cup, started out strong and posted several 12-point leads, the last at 24-12 on a Brownlee basket.

The Ginebra import, who hit the championship-clinching triple against Meralco last year, canned in two foul shots to give the Kings their biggest lead at 35-17 midway in the second period.

The scores:

 Ginebra 94 – Brownlee 22, Devance 19, Aguilar 15, Tenorio 12, Slaughter 12, Thompson 8, Mercado 3, Caguioa 2, Cruz 1, Ellis 0. 

 Alaska 80 – Abueva 22, Thoss 11, Henton 10, Banchero 8, Casio 7, Galliguez 6, Baclao 4, Pascual 4, Hontiveros 3, Manuel 2, Dela Cruz 2, Mendoza 1, Magat 0. 

 Quarterscores: 24-14, 46-31, 68-51, 94-80.