GINEBRA ROUTS GLOBALPORT, NAILS SPOT IN QUARTERS

LUCENA – Barangay Ginebra San Miguel finally secured a spot in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup playoff phase as it dismantled GlobalPort, 96-81, on a rock-solid game in the Petron Blaze Saturday Special at the Quezon Convention Center here.

Coming from back-to-back losses on endgame fold-ups, the Kings exerted a totally different effort, completely outplaying the Batang Pier to nail the crucial win.

Seizing solo sixth place at 5-5, the Kings can go all the way to salvage a slot in the best-of-three quarterfinals with a win over the Alaska Aces in an important setto at the close of the elims Wednesday at the Big Dome.

A loss will relegate Ginebra to seventh or eighth, facing a team with a twice-to-beat advantage in the Final Eight.

Mike Dunigan and Greg Slaughter topscored with 22 points apiece while Mark Caguioa and Josh Urbiztondo added 15 and 11, respectively, for the Kings who fought every step of the way en route to their most lopsided win in the mid-season tourney.

It was a crucial turnaround by the Kings from their showing versus the NLEX Road Warriors and the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters where they blew huge double-digit margins.

Versus the Batang Pier, the Kings imposed themselves early and enjoyed big leads that they held all the way to the finish.

Ginebra simply crushed a GlobalPort squad that continued to miss the services of injury-stricken ace playmaker Stanley Pringle.

The Batang Pier reeled with a sixth loss against four wins, needing to beat the San Miguel Beermen Tuesday to salvage a seat in the post-elims play.

GlobalPort has gone 0-2 with highly touted import Derrick Caracter, a former LA Laker.

The Kings jumped out of the starting block, taking an early double-digit spread at 22-11, and then the half at 46-27.

And there was just no stopping the Ginebra juggernaught in the final half. (SB)

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