Barangay Ginebra showed its composure when it mattered most, escaping Magnolia, 91-89, in another high-stakes chapter of the “Manila Clasico” on Friday in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
The Gin Kings looked headed for a comfortable win after building a 15-point advantage, only to see Magnolia storm back and turn the contest into a tense, down-to-the-wire battle. But with the game hanging in the balance, Ginebra found the poise to deliver the final blow and snap back from its previous loss.
Scottie Thompson turned in his best game of the conference, finishing with 24 points and 10 rebounds while providing the spark that kept Ginebra steady all night. More importantly, he came through in crunch time, setting up RJ Abarrientos for the go-ahead basket with just 6.3 seconds remaining.
“I stayed patient through ups and downs,” Thompson said after the game.
“But credit to the whole team, the coaches and my teammates. As a team we played really well and ‘yung mga fans na nanonood, isa sila sa dahilan bakit ang energy namin na-sustain namin.”
Abarrientos also rose to the occasion with 19 points, while resident import Justin Brownlee once again delivered a huge all-around effort with a game-high 29 points, nine rebounds, and four assists.
Ginebra appeared firmly in control at halftime, carrying a 50-35 lead into the break. But Magnolia came charging back in the third quarter, unloading a 31-19 surge to erase the deficit and set up a gripping finish.
The Gin Kings still managed to create breathing room late, moving ahead 87-81 with 2:48 to play. Magnolia, however, refused to fold. The Hotshots clawed their way back and tied the game at 89-all after Mark Barroca coolly sank three free throws with 8.2 seconds left.
That only set the stage for Ginebra’s final answer.
With the pressure mounting and the crowd on edge, Thompson found Abarrientos cutting to the basket for the decisive layup. Magnolia still had one last chance to steal the win, but Jerom Lastimosa’s errant pass on the final possession was intercepted by Norbert Torres, touching off a loud celebration from the Ginebra faithful.
The victory allowed coach Tim Cone and the Gin Kings to recover from their painful 82-85 loss to San Miguel in their previous outing, while also halting Magnolia’s two-game winning streak. Ginebra improved to 3-2, while the Hotshots slipped to 2-4.
The Scores:
Ginebra 91 — Brownlee 29, Thompson 24, Abarrientos 19, Holt 6, Torres 5, Pinto 4, Rosario 4, Cu 0, Gray 0, Go 0
Magnolia 89 — Lucero 19, Chapman 18, Barroca 14, Lastimosa 11, Lee 10, Dela Rosa 9, Sangalang 5, Koon 3, Laput 0, Alfaro 0, Gomez de Liano 0, Andrada 0
Quarters: 18-18, 50-35, 69-66, 91-89