MANILA – Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings pounced on the San Miguel Beermen in the overtime period to escape with a 110-107 victory in the 2019 Honda PBA Commissioner’s Cup last night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
With both teams knotted at 99-all, the Kings made its first move via a triple from Earl Scottie Thompson but the Beermen was able to force a deadlock on three straight points by June Mar Fajardo.
The Kings gained advantage anew at 107-102 after a basket by LA Tenorio and a three-point play by Justin Brownlee. The Beermen refused to be left behind as it came up with baskets to come to within 106-109.
The Beermen pulled even closer at 107-109 and had a chance to win it but Chris Ross misfired his three-point try before the Kings wrapped up the victory on a split freebie by Tenorio.
Brownlee finished the match with 39 points, 15 rebounds and five assists, Tenorio added 16 markers, while Thompson and Gregory Slaughter had 13 each for the defending champions Kings (3-3).
Charles Rhodes has 3×4 points and 13 rebounds before fouling out in overtime, while Alex Cabagnot and Marcio Lassiter submitted 21 and 15 markers, respectively, for the Beermen (1-3).
In the first game, the Magnolia Hotshots got its game going in the second half as it stave off the struggling Columbian Dyip, 110-103, to register its second consecutive win.
With the Dyip clinging to a slim lead early in the third period, the Hotshots came up with a huge run from Paul Lee, James Farr and Ian Sangalang to establish an 85-73 lead heading into the fourth.
The Dyip tried to rally to within single digit several times in the fourth period but the Hotshots always has an answer from Sangalang and Rodney Brondial to maintain the 10-point advantage.
Sangalang and Farr had 22 points each, while Paul Lee added 21 markers for the Hotshots (2-2). Lester Prosper finished with double-double 26 points and 14 rebounds for the Dyip (1-4)./PN
