Caguioa cited for key role in Ginebra win

MANILA, Philippines - His appetite for winning not waning a bit, Mark Caguioa has kept Barangay Ginebra in the hunt for an automatic semifinal berth in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup.

The prolific guard showed the way in a crucial win for Ginebra last Sunday, in the process earning for himself the Accel-PBA Press Corps Player of the Week honors for the period March 19 to 25.

Caguioa scored a game-high 25 points, the bulk coming in the second half of the Kings’ 91-81 victory over the Barako Bull Energy that kept the perennial crowd favorites’ hopes of clinching an automatic semifinals berth alive.

He added seven rebounds and two steals.

Caguioa displayed that to the fullest against Barako Bull and in front of some 14,000 fans at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

With Ginebra ahead by just three at the half Caguioa scattered 11 of his points, on 3-for-6 shooting from the field and a 4-for-6 clip from the stripe. Before the Energy knew it, the Kings have padded their lead to a high of 68-49 and went into the final canto with a 70-55 bulge.

Caguioa went on to score eight more points in the fourth period to help keep Barako at bay and point Ginebra home to its second straight victory and a 5-3 win-loss record overall.

Ginebra now needs to win against Air21 at the end of the elims tomorrow for it to tie B-Meg and/or Talk ‘N Text at the top. The Kings then play off against either the Llamados or Tropang Texters for the No. 2 slot. The top two elims finishers earn outright semis seats.

Expect Caguioa and his indomitable spirit to again be at the forefront of Ginebra’s assault.