MANILA – Jamie Malonzo was a thorn on the side of his former team NorthPort Batang Pier. He led Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings to a 115-100 win the 2022-2023 PBA Governors’ Cup last night at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
From a seesaw battle until late in the third quarter, Malonzo unloaded consecutive inside points followed by conversions from Nard John Pinto and Stanley Pringle for a 79-73 lead.
In the fourth quarter, the Gin Kings got successive inside shots from Aljon Mariano and five straight points as the lead swelled to 93-80 before it reached its largest at 113-94 on a triple by Sidney Onwubere.
Malonzo finished with double-double 28 points and 10 rebounds, while Justin Brownlee had triple-double 22 points, 15 rebounds and 12 assists as the defending champions Gin Kings stayed perfect after three games.
Pinto and Jeremiah Gray finished 18 and 16 markers, respectively, while Mariano had 11 of his 12 total points in the fourth quarter for Ginebra, which were without centers Japeth Aguilar and Christian Standhardinger due to injuries.
Kevin Murphy debuted with 38 points and 11 rebounds, Robert Bolick Jr. added 30 markers, while Joshua Munzon ended with 12 points as the Batang Pier remained win-less in five games.
Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots, meanwhile, finally entered the win-column with an 108-95 victory over the Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters. The Hotshots improved to 1-3, while the Fuel Masters dropped to 1-4.
The Hotshots waxed hot early behind new import Anthonio Hester, Calvin Abueva and Paul Lee as the lead reached its largest at 27 points in the third quarter.
The Fuel Masters showed some life in the fourth quarter as they chopped the deficit to 14 points but triples by Lee and Abueva and inside shots by Hester gave the Hotshots a 104-92 edge.
Hester finished with 28 points and 12 rebounds, Andy Mark Barroca added 19 markers, while Abueva, Lee and Jerrick Ahanmisi chipped in 18, 14 and 12 markers, respectively, for the Hotshots./PN
BOX SCORE:
GINEBRA 115 — Malonzo 28, Brownlee 22, Pinto 18, Gray 16, Mariano 12, Thompson 5, Pringle 5, R. Aguilar 4, Onwubere 3, Pessumal 2, Tenorio 0, David 0.
NORTHPORT 100 — Murphy 38, Bolick 30, Munzon 12, Tolentino 7, Taha 4, Chan 3, Caperal 2, Dela Cruz 2, Calma 2, Zamar 0, Ayaay 0, Salado 0.
Quarterscores: 15-25, 51-50, 79-73, 115-100.
