MANILA – Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings kicked off its 2020 Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Philippine Cup campaign with a 102-92 victory over NLEX Road Warriors at the AUF Sports Arena and Cultural Center in Pampanga last night.
Aljon Mariano came up with huge conversions in the fourth period and finished with 20 points while Earl Scottie Thompson, Jared Dillinger and Stanley Pringle chipped in 12 markers apiece for the 1-0 Kings.
Prince Caperal also finished in double figures with 11 points on a perfect three-of-three shooting while Bacolodnon Jeffrei Chan and Escalante City-native Joe Devance contributed 11 markers each for Ginebra.
With the score tied at 48-all at first half, the Kings started the second strong with three-point hits by Thompson and baskets from Devance, Chan and Japeth Aguilar to build a 75-59 lead.
The Road Warriors, however, countered with a huge response to trim the deficit to 82-85 early in the fourth period, but the Kings created distance anew at 95-82 following a triple by Caperal and consecutive points from Mariano.
JR Quinahan finished with 26 points before being ejected late in the third period while Kevin Alas and Ilonggo Jericho Cruz contributed 16 and 11 markers respectively for the Road Warriors.
Meanwhile, Jayson Castro came up with clutch conversions in the first game as TNT Tropang Giga escaped with a 100-95 win over Alaska Aces making teammate Roger Pogoy’s career game a winning one.
Amid Pogoy’s torrid shooting all match long, Tropang Giga still trail 89-92 late in the fourth quarter before Castro anchored the squad’s finishing run with six consecutive points to turn things around.
Castro finished the match with 28 points while Pogoy added career-high 45 points, built on 10 outside conversions, as the Tropang Giga tied Kings and defending champion San Miguel Beermen on top with 1-0 slate.
BOX SCORE:
GINEBRA 102 – Mariano 20, Thompson 12, Pringle 12, Dillinger 12, Caperal 11, Chan 11, Devance 11, J. Aguilar 7, Tolentino 5, Tenorio 1, R. Aguilar 0, Balanza 0.
NLEX 92 – Quinahan 26, Alas 16, Cruz 11, Porter 9, Soyud 7, Ravena 6, Semerad 5, Miranda 4, Galanza 3, Ighalo 3, Ayonayon 2, Paniamogan 0.
QUARTERSCORES:
Q1, 31-22; Q2, 48-48; Q3, 83-75; Q4, 102-92./PN
