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[av_heading heading=’Ginebra foils Phoenix, 96-87, in Gov’s Cup’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY ADRIAN STEWART CO
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MANILA – Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings continued its winning run in the 2016 Oppo PBA Governor’s Cup after a 96-87 victory over Phoenix Fuel Masters at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City.
Reinforcement Justin Brownlee led the way with 28 points for Kings, which improved to an 8-2 win-loss slate and may move up to as high as first place if it defeats TNT Katropa this coming Sunday.
LA Tenorio chipped in with 15 markers, while Japeth Aguilar, Joe Devance and Solomon Mercado contributed 12 points apiece without Gregory Slaughter, who will miss the rest of the season due to a knee injury.
From a tight start, Kings went on a surge early in the opening quarter Wednesday night behind Brownlee, Devance and Tenorio for a 31-18 lead. They continued with their run in the second frame to widen the lead to 61-40.
Fuel Masters made its run in the third frame on three-pointers by John Wilson and Simon Enciso to come to within 65-53, but Kings was quick to reply, with baskets from Mercado and Browlee letting them hang on to a 78-67 edge.
Phoenix opened the final quarter with a barrage of triples from Josh Urbiztondo and Enciso to come to within 83-78. After Ginebra widened the lead to 90-78, Fuel Masters rallied anew to come to within 90-85.
An inside hit by Brownlee, an emphatic jam from Aguilar and two free throws by Tenorio from a deliberate foul by Urbiztondo extended Kings’ lead anew to 96-85 with less than a minute remaining in the match.
“Phoenix really fought tooth and nail,” said Kings head coach Tim Cone. “We thought we could run away but they just hung around. Still, it was a good defensive effort for us.”
American import Eugene Phelps finished with 24 points, while Enciso added 15 markers for Fuel Masters, which is assured of at least a playoff for a quarterfinals seat despite slipping to a 5-6 slate./PN
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SCORES
GINEBRA 96 – Brownlee 28, Tenorio 15, Aguilar 12, Devance 12, Mercado 12, Mariano 6, Caguioa 4, Thompson 3, Cruz 2, Marcelo 2, Helterbrand 0
PHOENIX 87 – Phelps 24, Enciso 15, Urbiztondo 11, Buenafe 8, J. Wilson 8, Baguio 7, Lee 5, Intal 4, Miranda 2, W. Wilson 2, Cruz 1, Pennisi 0, Torres 0, Borboran 0
QUARTERS – 31-18, 59-40, 78-67, 96-87
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