Kings carve out win from long slump

MANILA, Philippines - Barangay Ginebra ended a five-game losing skein in style last night, clobbering Barako Bull, 111-103, in a Motolite PBA Fiesta Conference road show at the Panabo Multi-Purpose, Tourism, Cultural and Sports Center in Panabo, Davao del Norte.

Rod Nealy, Ronald Tubid and Jayjay Helterbrand scored at least 23 points each as the Kings played with sustained firepower, getting some relief with a first win in 24 days.

Nealy, Tubid and Helterbrand took turns in anchoring a hot Ginebra charge, carrying the team back on the winning track going into the long league break.

Pulling off their first win after a triumphant debut versus the Coca-Cola Tigers on March 4, the Kings tied the Energy Boosters and the Alaska Milk Aces at seventh place on identical 2-5 win-loss cards.

Coca-Cola was left alone in the cellar at 1-5.

The season-ending tourney takes a 14-day break to give way to the holding of the RP-Australia goodwill series and the observance of Lenten week.

The first meeting between the Philippines and Australia is at 7:30 p.m. Friday at the Araneta Coliseum. The second game is on Palm Sunday in the same venue.

The Fiesta Conference, meanwhile, resumes on Easter Sunday with tournament leader San Miguel Beer going up against Rain or Shine and tail-ender Coca-Cola taking on Alaska.

Ginebra isn’t plunging back into action until April 17 versus Rain or Shine.

Before taking a long rest, the Kings worked extra hard, dominating the Energy Boosters almost throughout the contest, which served as another leg of the PBA Phoenix Fuel on Tour.

They erected an 18-point spread towards the end of the first half, stretched it to 24 twice in the third and held off a Ginebra chase at endgame.

Tubid scattered 29 points, including a three-pointer clinching their win at 104-95 with a little over a minute left to play.