Barangay Ginebra secured their second consecutive victory in the PBA Philippine Cup after a dominant performance against the Phoenix Fuel Masters. The Gin Kings outscored their opponents, 102-92, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Sunday.
Leading the charge for Barangay Ginebra was Jamie Malonzo, who contributed 17 points and 10 rebounds to the team’s win. Despite Phoenix missing Tyler Tio, Ginebra only held a slim four-point lead, 47-43, at halftime.
However, a strong third-quarter showing propelled the Gin Kings ahead, with a 19-7 run extending their lead to 13 points, 66-53. The team continued to push the pace and eventually built a commanding 17-point advantage, 79-62, with stellar performances from key players like Stanley Pringle.
As the game neared its end, a late surge from Phoenix cut the deficit to 11 points, but a crucial three-pointer from Pringle sealed the victory for Ginebra, 102-88. Alongside Malonzo and Pringle, contributors to the Gin Kings’ success included Ralph Cu, Nards Pinto, and Christian Standhardinger, who all scored 12 points each.
On the other side, Jason Perkins led the scoring for the Fuel Masters with 14 points, supported by Javee Mocon with 13 points and nine rebounds. With this win, Barangay Ginebra remains undefeated in the conference with a 2-0 record, while Phoenix falls to 0-2.
Up next, the Phoenix Fuel Masters will face the Terrafirma Dyip on Wednesday, while Barangay Ginebra looks to extend their winning streak against the Meralco Bolts on Friday.
