MANILA – Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings relied on Justin Brownlee’s game-long brilliance to stave off San Miguel Beermen, 127-99, in Game 1 of the 2018 PBA Commissioner’s Cup best-of-seven finals last night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Brownlee waxed hot offensively to finish with 42 points to go along with nine assists and seven rebounds.
Negrense Joe Devance added 20 markers while Gregory Slaughter and Mark Caguioa contributed 11 points each.
The Kings opened the match with a 9-2 lead on baskets from Brownlee and Devance.
The Beermen rallied to within 9-11 but the Kings pulled away anew at 35-20 on five straight points by Caguioa.
The Kings increased the lead to 42-24 early in the second with hits from Caguioa and Solomon Mercado.
The Beermen inched closer at 11 points but baskets from Brownlee and Devance increased the Kings’ advantage to 69-50 at the half.
Early in the third, the Beermen showed some life to cut the deficit to 58-71. But the Kings pulled away anew with three-point shots from Devance, Mercado and Kevin Ferrer for a 94-75 edge.
With the Beermen still struggling with their offense in the final quarter, the Kings widened the gap further as it reached its largest lead at 121-92 on baskets from Aljon Mariano and Caguioa.
“We’re expecting a tough series but any team in the league, we probably have the best match-up to San Miguel,” said Kings head coach Tim Cone. “There’s nothing more challenging in our league that playing San Miguel. So the challenge is out there for us.”
Renaldo Balkman led the way with double-double 27 points and 13 rebounds while rookie Christian Standhardinger added career-best 26 markers for the defending champions Beermen.
BOX SCORE
GINEBRA 127 – Brownlee 42, Devance 20, Devance 11, Caguioa 11, Mercado 10, Tenorio 9, Thompson 7, Ferrer 7, Mariano 4, Chan 2, Aguilar 2, Cruz 2, Caperal 0, Manuel 0.
SAN MIGUEL 99 – Balkman 27, Standhardinger 26, Fajardo 13, Santos 8, Lassiter 7, Cabagnot 5, Nabong 5, Ross 4, Lanete 3, Ganuelas-Rosser 2, Pessumal 0.
Quarterscores: 35-20, 69-50, 94-75, 127-99./PN
