Manila: Barangay Ginebra leaned on the heroics of RJ Abarrientos and import Riley Grigsby to turn back Meralco, 84-75, in the PBA Season 50 Governors' Cup Group B eliminations at Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City on Friday. In a battle between teams saddled with injuries, Ginebra was grittier down the stretch to improve to 2-2, climbing to third spot behind Phoenix (4-1) and Rain Or Shine (3-2), while Meralco slid to joint fourth with Blackwater at 2-3.
According to Philippines News Agency, Adrian Nocum proved he is worthy of coach Yeng Guiao's trust as he scored the game-winning drive in Rain Or Shine's 98-97 escape over Magnolia in the opening game. Averaging just 11 points a game coming in, Abarrientos exploded for a season-high 27 points, hitting 3-of-5 from three, alongside 3 rebounds and 3 assists. He did most of the damage early, dropping 19 in the first half to power Ginebra's breakaway to a 44-29 cushion at the break.
Grigsby, filling in for the injured Justin Brownlee, was just as vital, finishing with 25 points, 9 rebounds, 3 assists, and a steal. Ginebra was also without Scottie Thompson. "Malaking pieces ang nawala sa amin. Mahirap i-fill up 'yung kawalan nila. Pero buo pa rin naman kami, basta kung sino ang ipasok kailangan mag-step up (We lost big pieces. It's hard to fill up their void. But we're still whole and whoever is fielded in steps up)," Abarrientos said.
Meralco refused to go away despite missing four rotation players -- CJ Cansino (hip), Bong Quinto (vertigo), Jason Brickman (flu), and Raymond Almazan (back). The Bolts were led by Antonio Hester with 24 and Chris Banchero with 15, but they couldn't come close after falling behind by as many as 18. "Sticking their nose into it, grinding it out," coach Tim Cone said. "Not pretty games by any means. Hopefully, we be more pleasing to the eyes as we progress."
The Gin Kings will face the Magnolia Hotshots in a 'Manila Clasico' match at Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City on Sunday. "It's an ugly win but we take it. We had to defend as best we can, grind it out. That's what we did today -- really grind it out. We had to rely on our best players to create, and they did, enough to create points tonight," Cone said. Ginebra never trailed after an 18-10 first-quarter lead, and Meralco couldn't come any closer than nine in the fourth.
In the first game, Nocum carried out Guiao's last-minute instructions during their time out in the last 24 seconds and defied the phalanx of defenders. In the previous offense, Magnolia import KJ Buffen missed his own drive. 'Nagtitiwala naman kami du'n sa diskarte niya. So kung ma-i-dra-drive niya, mayroon siyang tira, desisyon nya iyon (We trusted his plans. If he can drive, if he has the shot, it was his decision),' Guiao said of his directive to Nocum. Nocum wound with a new career-high of 31 points while leading the Elasto Painters' charge to a third straight win.
Rain Or Shine overcame an early 12-point deficit, eight deadlocks, nine lead changes, and import Aaron Fuller netting only 14 points, some 18 below his pre-game average. The E-Painters also made just 11 of 39 from long range while committing 17 turnovers. Buffen scored 31 points on top of 17 rebounds and five assists for the Hotshots, while Zavier Lucero, Ian Sangalang, Paul Lee, and Mark Barroca each tallied at least 11 points. After going scoreless in the first half, Sangalang scored his 14th point in the final 24.8 seconds to give Magnolia its last taste of the lead at 97-96 before Nocum's game-winner.
