Games today (Smart Araneta Coliseum)
3 p.m. – Rain or Shine vs Kia
5:15 p.m. – Talk n Text vs Alaska
MANILA, Philippines - Barangay Ginebra has had enough of endgame fold-ups.
The Gin Kings played a rock-solid game through 48 minutes last night, reigning over the injury-hit Globalport side, 96-81, to clinch the sixth slot in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup playoffs in the Petron Blaze-sponsored road game at the Quezon Convention Center in Lucena.
Showing a sense of urgency following disappointing losses to NLEX and Rain or Shine, the Kings crushed the Batang Pier to raise their record to 5-5 (win-loss).
Coach Ato Agustin and his troops chase a spot in the best-of-three quarterfinals as they slug it out with the Alaska Milk Aces at the close of the elims on Wednesday at the Big Dome.
As in their last two games, the Kings got off to a strong start, and played tough to the finish this time, thus redeeming themselves from their losses to the Road Warriors and the Elasto Painters where they bungled big double-digit spreads.
Ginebra sent down on its knees a Globalport squad that badly missed the services of injury-stricken ace playmaker Stanley Pringle.
The Batang Pier reeled with a sixth loss against four wins, needing to beat the San Miguel Beermen Tuesday to salvage a seat in the post-elims play.
Globalport has gone 0-2 with highly touted import Derrick Caracter, a former LA Laker.
Mike Dunigan and Greg Slaughter scored 22 points apiece while Mark Caguioa tossed in 15 to lead the Kings to their most lopsided win in the tourney.
Ginebra dished out a heads-up game, opening with a 9-1 attack, leading 46-27 at the half and preserved a commanding spread all the way to the final buzzer.
Meanwhile, Rain or Shine and Talk n Text try to claim playoffs top seeding and the twice-to-beat bonus in the quarterfinals as they go for crucial wins versus Kia and Alaska Milk, respectively, in their closing games in the elims at the Smart Araneta Coliseum today.
The Elasto Painters tangle with the Carnival at 3 p.m. then the Tropang Texters tackle the Alaska Milk Aces at 5:15 p.m.
The E-Painters and the Texters chase a Top Two finish while the Carnival and Aces look to salvage a spot in the Last Eight.
Victories by RoS and TnT actually create a three-way logjam on top.