[av_one_full first min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=”]
[av_heading heading=’Ginebra boots Aces to set up ‘Manila Clasico’ in semis ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
By ADRIAN STEWART CO
[/av_heading]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=’custom’ color=’#0a0a0a’]
Wednesday, February 8, 2017
[/av_textblock]
[av_image src=’http://www.panaynews.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/02/sports-Alaska_Tenorio.jpg’ attachment=’95877′ attachment_size=’full’ align=’center’ styling=” hover=” link=” target=” caption=’yes’ font_size=’14’ appearance=’on-hover’ overlay_opacity=’0.4′ overlay_color=’#000000′ overlay_text_color=’#ffffff’ animation=’no-animation’]
Alaska Aces team captain Calvin Abueva (left) wrests with Kevin Ferrer of the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings during their 2016-2017 Oppo PBA Philippine Cup match on Tuesday.PBA
[/av_image]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=’custom’ color=’#0a0a0a’]
MANILA – The Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings completed the semifinals cast of the 2016-2017 Oppo PBA Philippine Cup with a 108-97 win over the Alaska Aces in their do-or-die quarterfinals match on Tuesday at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
LA Tenorio led the way with 31 points, on a perfect 12-of-12 shooting cliff from the free throw line, for the Kings, which has set up a best-of-seven semifinals match with rival Star Hotshots in an old-school “Manila Clasico” clash of the two most popular professional basketball teams in the country.
Aljon Mariano chipped in a career-best 20 markers, while rookie Kevin Ferrer and Earl Scottie Thompson added 15 and 10 points, respectively, for the Kings, which played without injured Gregory Slaughter and Joe Devance.
Down early in the game, the Kings regained control of the match in the third frame with a huge run behind Tenorio and Chris Ellis for a 70-63 lead. Despite a series of runs by the Aces, the Kings went to the final frame with an 82-71 lead.
The Kings exchanged hits with the Aces early in the final frame as it maintained a double-digit edge until the Kings built its largest lead of the match at 105-91 on five straight points by Tenorio.
Calvin Abueva finished with double-double 29 points and 13 rebounds, while Vic Manuel added 23 markers for the Aces, which squandered its twice-to-beat advantage en route to an early exit in the playoffs.
Meanwhile, defending champion San Miguel Beermen and TNT Katropa will begin its best-of-seven semifinals series at seven in the evening tonight at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
The Beermen made a return trip to the Final Four after beating the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, 98-91. The Katropa, on the other hand, swept the GlobalPort Batang Pier in their best-of-three series.
In their lone elimination round encounter on Jan. 28 at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City, the Beermen defeated Katropa, 98-94, behind the endgame heroics of Alex Cabagnot./PN
****************
[/av_textblock]
[/av_one_full]
