BARAKO BULL FOILS GINEBRA, CLAIMS PIECE OF TOP SPOT
BINAN, Laguna – Barako Bull nearly blew away an eight-point lead in the last three minutes, banking on a tough defensive stance in the last nine seconds to salvage a 69-68 win over Barangay Ginebra San Miguel in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Alonte Sports Arena here Sunday night.
The predominantly Ginebra crowd in the venue went eerily silent as Joseph Yeo’s attempt from way out at the buzzer flew short, allowing the Energy to score a second straight win in the import-laced mid-season tourney.
Sol Alabi made only 13 points but provided a towering defensive presence that helped Barako nail a follow-up on its 92-70 rout of an importless Blackwater side last Wednesday.
Chico Lanete, RR Garcia and Sol Mercado stood at the firing end as Barako shattered a 54-all count and took a commanding 67-59 lead with 3:02 left to play.
But the Energy seemed to relax early, and the Kings pounced on the situation with a booming trey by Joseph Yeo highlighting a 9-2 attack that pushed Ginebra within one at 68-69 with 39 seconds to go.
A missed three-pointer by Chico Lanete in the ensuing play sent the crowd up on its feet with the Kings getting a chance to steal the game.
Alas, the crowd darlings failed to convert their last field-goal try and thus reeled with a second straight loss since the return of coach Ato Agustin on the Ginebra saddle.
Michael Dunigan, groping for form, didn’t help the Ginebra cause.
Lanete, JC Intal, Dave Marcelo and Alabi tossed in double-digit outputs to lead the Energy to a first win over the Kings in six games dating back to 2013.
Dunigan struggled for only 11 points.
Greg Slaughter top scored with 18 points with Mark Caguioa adding 10, but it was Yeo who sent Ginebra back in the fight at the finish on a crucial five-point binge.
Yeo stole off Mercado and scored on a breakaway layup to chop their deficit down to 65-69 with 55 ticks to go.
Then an errant Barako inbound had Yeo pumping in a triple six seconds later to make it 68-69.
Yeo, however, failed to complete his heroics, muffing a game-winning three-pointer at the buzzer. (SB)
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