GINEBRA GETS SHARE OF LEAD
Barangay Ginebra San Miguel stayed perfect after two games under coach Jeff Cariaso, rolling past Meralco, 95-82, in the PLDT Home Telpad PBA Governors’ Cup at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City Saturday night.
Without frills, Zaccheus Mason worked his way to a 32-point and 19-rebound job as the Kings shrugged off a poor opening quarter and ripped Meralco for a follow-up to their 89-71 rout of the GlobalPort Batang Pier Tuesday.
Mason stepped up the most in the final half and, together with Greg Slaughter, made the biggest damage sending Meralco to a third straight loss.
The no-nonsense Ginebra import attacked from inside and out while Slaughter imposed his huge frame in the paint, delivering 22 points and 10 rebounds for a second straight double-double game in the season-ending tourney.
Mac Baracael dished out a solid effort off the bench and ended up the third Ginebra player with a double-digit output with 11 markers, counting 3-of-3 three-pointers.
“Every game that you play is different. What I like tonight is that we stuck with the system,” said Cariaso.
“We didn’t start that well but we kept the game close and continued to persevere until we pulled it off,” Cariaso also said.
The Kings started a bit flat, playing catch-up basketball until coming through with a 9-0 roll midway through the second quarter to pull ahead at 39-35.
Towards the end of the third, the Kings made another key run to open a first double-digit spread at 64-54, and they held on to the finish.
With the Bolts threatening to close midway through the final canto, Slaughter repeatedly pounced on Reynel Hugnatan’s defense at the post.
As Slaughter canned in two of his eight charities, the Kings made it 89-76 entering the last two minutes of play.
The Kings outrebounded the Bolts, 57-48, and Ginebra outscored Meralco, 12-7, off the offensive boards, and 16-8, off turnovers.
Terrence Williams and Cliff Hodge combined for 17 points as the Bolts got off to a 28-18 start.
But Baracael provided the needed spark off the bench, scoring eight points as the Kings surged ahead, 46-43, at the half.
No Meralco player scored more than three in the second period. (SB)
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