MANILA – Justin Brownlee delivered clutch baskets as Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings pulled off a 103-97 victory over Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots in the 2022 PBA Commissioner’s Cup last night at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
With the score tied at 97-all, Brownlee surged the Kings ahead at 99-97 with a shot clock-beating basket at the 1:19 mark. Following misses by the Hotshots, the American import nailed four more free throws to seal the win for Ginebra.
Brownlee finished with double-double 26 points and 12 assists to go with eight rebounds and five blocks as the Gin Kings returned to its winning ways to improve to 3-2 win-loss slate.
Jamie Malonzo chipped in double-double 18 points and 14 rebounds, Earl Scottie Thompson and Christian Standhardinger had 14 points each, while Japeth Aguilar ended with 13 for Ginebra.
Down by as much as 15 points late in the third quarter, the Kings slowly clawed its way back behind Brownlee, Thompson and Aguilar to tie the score at 89-all on back-to-back inside hits by Standhardinger.
The Gin Kings surged ahead at 97-93 on four straight points by Thompson and inside hit by Malonzo but the Hotshots tied the score at 97-all on two free throws by Paul Lee and a jumper by Jiovani Jalalon.
Lee ended the match with 22 points, including six treys, Nick Rakocevic had 21 points, 17 rebounds, six assists and five steals, Ian Sangalang had 13 points, while Jalalon and Jerrick Ahanmisi had 11 each as the Hotshots dropped to 5-1.
In the first game, San Miguel Beermen snapped its two-game losing skid with a 124-116 victory over NLEX Road Warriors. The Beermen improved to 2-3, while the Road Warriors dropped to 3-3.
With the Road Warriors threatening to within 109-112 via a triple by Earl Clark, the Beermen got consecutive baskets from Vic Manuel, Devon Scott and Jaymar Perez for a 120-109 lead with over two minutes left.
NLEX made its last run at 114-120 on back-to-back hits by Kevin Alas and Celedonio Trollano but San Miguel Beer wrapped up the victory on two free throws by Ilonggo Jericho Cruz and a dunk by Scott.
Scott flirted with triple-double with 26 points, 10 rebounds and seven assists, Marcio Lassiter and Manuel added 22 markers apiece, while Perez, Cruz and Moala Tautuaa had 16, 15 and 14, respectively, for the Beermen.
BOX SCORE:
GINEBRA 103 – Brownlee 26, Malonzo 18, Thompson 14, Standhardinger 14, J. Aguilar 13, Pringle 6, Tenorio 5, Mariano 3, Gray 3, Pessumal 1, Pinto 0.
MAGNOLIA 97 – Lee 22, Rakocevic 21, Sangalang 13, Ahanmisi 11, Jalalon 11, Abueva 6, Barroca 5, Dionisio 3, Dela Rosa 2, Reavis 2, Wong 1.
Quarterscores: 20-24, 41-53, 73-83, 103-97./PN
