MONFORT SPARKS GINEBRA COME-FROM-BEHIND WIN
Emman Monfort played only a few minutes in the second half but they were enough to ignite a decisive rally that carried Barangay Ginebra San Miguel to a key win over Barako Bull Sunday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Monfort came off the bench late in the third period and turned to be the sparkplug Ginebra needed in pulling off an 90-83 victory over Barako Bull that sent the Kings to the threshold of playoffs top seeding in the PLDT myDSL PBA Philippine Cup.
The Kings were staring at a 10-point deficit, 60-70, before Monfort came through with clutch hustles and bombs awaking Ginebra and its crowd from a stupor.
Monfort churned out two three-pointers, two rebounds, one assist and several gritty plays helping fuel Ginebra’s furious finish en route to a 10th win against two losses.
A win either against GlobalPort Friday or against Talk n Text Sunday makes Ginebra the topnotcher or No. 1 team in the elimination round.
Ginebra has never topped the elims since the 2006-07 Philippine Cup where it went on to claim its last all-Filipino crown.
“On Friday against GlobalPort, pipilitin na namin makuha yan,” said Ginebra coach Ato Agustin.
Ginebra regained a full-game lead over Petron Blaze (9-3) and Rain or Shine (9-3) as it reigned over Barako Bull for the second time in the tourney.
The Kings clobbered the Energy, 30-15, in the fourth quarter and sent Barako Bull tumbling down to joint seventh place with the GlobalPort Batang Pier at 5-8.
The Ginebra bench chieftain recognized the heroics of Monfort.
“We dictated the tempo at the start then got rattled with their zone defense. But we stuck with our game plan, and we turning aggressive on the entry of Emman (Monfort). He helped a lot,” said Agustin.
Taking the cue from Monfort, Jayjay Helterbrand, Chris Ellis and Japeth Aguilar also got going and delivered the killer blows on the Energy.
Greg Slaughter, Mark Caguioa and Aguilar supplied the firepower early on as Ginebra took the first quarter at 21-12 and the half at 43-38.
JC Intal and Mick Pennisi caught fire in the third quarter, though, and, with their zone defense holding, the Energy Cola seized command, 68-60, going into the payoff quarter.
Keith Jensen connected on a perimeter jumper to start the fourth as Barako led by 10 at 70-60, but then Monfort sparked the Ginebra siege.
Slaughter and Aguilar finished with double-double numbers with the former piling up 14 points and 15 rebounds and the latter logging 13 markers and 10 boards.
Caguioa also made 14 while Ellis and LA Tenorio chipped in 11 each. (SB)
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