MANILA – Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings were victorious in their first game sans head coach Tim Cone. They walloped Converge FiberXers, 105-89, in the 2022 PBA Philippine Cup last night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Earl Scottie Thompson tallied 24 points, six rebounds and six assists, while Japeth Aguilar chipped in double-double 20 points and 11 rebounds. The Kings moved to a share of top spot at 5-1.
Christian Standhardinger also had double-double 13 points and 13 rebounds, while Stanley Pringle returned from injury with 11 points for Gin Kings handled by assistant coach Richard del Rosario.
Cone was not with the Gin Kings. He was in Las Vegas serving as guest assistant coach for Miami Heat in the 2022 NBA Summer League.
From a 34-all score in the second canto, Nard John Pinto sparked Ginebra’s breakaway with five straight points for a 41-34 edge. Converge rallied to within 42-45 but a trey by Thompson gave Gin Kings a 50-45 halftime edge.
The Gin Kings widened the lead further in the third canto with inside conversions from Aguilar and Standhardinger and perimeter hits by Pringle for an 80-65 lead.
Converge showed some life in the fourth quarter as they trimmed the deficit to 74-86 but inside shots from Aguilar, Thompson and Standhardinger gave Gin Kings its largest lead at 99-81.
Allyn Bulanadi top-scored with 16 points, Abu Tratter chipped in 13 markers, while Maverick Ahanmisi and Regile Ilagan had 10 points each as the FiberXers dropped to 2-5.
In the first game, defending champions TNT Tropang Giga (7-2) continued its winning ways as they cruised to a 114-86 domination over the slumping Terrafirma Dyip (0-6).
Clinging to a 59-57 lead midway in the third quarter, the Tropang Giga leaned on conversions from Roger Pogoy, John Paul Erram and Mikey Williams to pull away at 84-67.
The Tropang Giga extended its run in the fourth period as outside conversions by Williams and Frederick Tungcab and two-pointers from Pogoy gave them their largest lead at 108-75.
Williams finished with 31 points, including six outside baskets, Erram added 18 markers, while Pogoy, Rodolfo Alejandro and Frederick Tungcab ended with 15, 11 and 10 points, respectively, for TNT.
BOX SCORE:
GINEBRA 105 — Thompson 24, J. Aguilar 20, Standhardinger 13, Pringle 11, Caperal 9, Tenorio 9, Tolentino 9, Pinto 8, Mariano 2, Dillinger 0, David 0.
CONVERGE 89 — Bulanadi 16, Tratter 13, Ahanmisi 10, Ilagan 10, Racal 9, Ambohot 8, Adamos 7, Arana 6, Stockton 4, Digregorio 3, Browne 3, Tolomia 0, Hill 0, Murrell 0.
Quarterscores: 22-23, 50-45, 80-65, 105-89./PN