Rusty Kings halt BPier

Phoenix shackles NLEX

MANILA, Philippines — Barangay Ginebra struggled all throughout but came through with a key run just in time to survive a gritty GlobalPort side, 104-97, for a second straight win in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum last night.

The Kings came out rusty from a long break, playing catch-up basketball most of the way and needing a 9-1 closing spurt to steal the game away from the Batang Pier.

Ginebra thus caught up with San Miguel Beer in the lead at 2-0 while keeping GlobalPort winless in two starts.

“We kind of just stole this one tonight, and we have to get better. We’re happy with the win but we’re not happy the way we played,” said Ginebra coach Tim Cone.

“That’s what teams coming from a championship do. They sleepwalk for three quarters and a half, and just try to win down the stretch,” rued Cone. “They feel they can just show up and win. They don’t really play until they really have to.”

The Kings, the reigning Governors Cup back-to-back champs, banked on the clutch baskets by Aljon Mariano, Scottie Thompson and Greg Slaughter in the last two minutes to avoid what could have been an upset.

The Kings were barely ahead by one at 98-97 before Mariano, Thompson and Slaughter connected with the baskets they needed to make.

Japeth Aguilar paced Ginebra with 21 points, including a slam and a three-point play that pushed the Kings ahead at 98-96 with time down to 2:21.

After a charity by Stanley Pringle to cap a 29-point game, Mariano, Thompson and Slaughter combined for Ginebra’s winning closing attack.

In the first game, Phoenix Petroleum made a conscious effort to contain NLEX’s perimeter shooting and the Fuel Masters stopped the Road Warriors, 102-95, to force a tie at third place.

The Fuel Masters shackled Kiefer Ravena, Kevin Alas and Cyrus Baguio in particular, holding the three to nine points in the second half as Phoenix made it two in a row in the tourney following a 125-102 rout of the Kia Picanto last Dec. 27.

Offensively, Matthew Wright, Jeff Chan, RJ Jazul, Jason Perkins, Justin Chua and Doug Kramer all delivered double-digit outputs as the Fuel Masters caught up with the Road Warriors at 2-1.

“The key really was containing their shooters. All coaches know that you can’t stop them. The important thing is to at least contain them, and we’re able to do that,” said Phoenix coach Louie Alas.