In an intense showdown at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City, Barangay Ginebra unleashed their fury on the Meralco Bolts with a resounding 90-71 victory, tying their PBA Philippine Cup semifinals series at two games apiece. The Gin Kings dominated from start to finish, leading by as much as 27 points to secure the much-needed win and halt a two-game losing streak.
Leading the charge for Ginebra was Japeth Aguilar, who contributed 21 points, six rebounds, two blocks, and a steal. Christian Standhardinger and Scottie Thompson also made significant contributions with 15 points each. The Gin Kings came out firing on all cylinders, opening the game with a 16-2 run led by Thompson, Aguilar, Standhardinger, and Stanley Pringle.
Despite Meralco’s attempts to stage a comeback in the final quarter, Ginebra maintained their stronghold on the game, never allowing the Bolts to get within single digits. With a layup by Aguilar, the Gin Kings reached their largest lead of the night at 87-60. Although Meralco put up a fight with an 11-0 run late in the game, it was not enough to overcome Ginebra’s commanding performance.
Head coach Tim Cone commended his team’s energy and response to their previous loss, stating, “As bad as we played last game, we played that good this game.” Stanley Pringle added 14 points for Ginebra, while LA Tenorio chipped in with seven points, six assists, four rebounds, and two steals.
On the other side, Allein Maliksi and Chris Banchero led Meralco with 14 points each, while Chris Newsome contributed 10 points, four rebounds, and two assists. The stage is now set for a pivotal Game 5 on Sunday at 3 p.m., back at the Mall of Asia Arena.
