Gin Kings rally to edge Bossing

MANILA, Philippines -- The Barangay Ginebra San Miguel completed a 17-point comeback and waylaid the gritty Blackwater Bossing, 90-87, in the PBA Commissioner's Cup Sunday at the Philsports Arena in Pasig.

Ginebra had a lackadaisical start to the game, falling behind 36-19 at the end of the first quarter.

While the Gin Kings inched closer in the second quarter, they were still behind by nine, 41-50, at the half.

Then the third quarter onslaught happened.

Ginebra flipped the script in the frame, tying the game at 54-all with a 13-4 run capped by an alley-oop finish by Mav Ahanmisi.

The two teams traded baskets, but a 3-pointer by Ahanmisi gave Ginebra the three-point lead.

The Gin Kings thus got reinvigorated as they took an eight-point lead, 79-71, in the final canto with a layup by Ahanmisi.

But Blackwater trimmed the lead once again with an 11-2 run capped by a pair of freebies by RK Ilagan, 82-81.

Six straight points punctuated by a Rey Suerte floater cut the lead to just two, 77-79, with a little less than eight minutes remaining in the game.

The two teams exchanged haymakers, but timely baskets by Tony Bishop and Christian Standhardinger gave Ginebra a 90-87 lead with 2:07 left.

Both sides then figured in a dry spell.

Blackwater import Chris Ortiz tried to tie the contest with 4.6 seconds left, but Japeth Aguilar, who just entered the game, altered his attempt that went short.

Bishop led Ginebra with 25 points and 11 rebounds. Ahanmisi followed suit with 20 markers, six boards and five dimes.

Ortiz, who started slow, finished with 20 points for the Bossing. Troy Rosario and Ilagan both had 15 markers.

Ginebra is now holding a 3-1 win-loss slate in the PBA Commissioner's Cup, while the Bossing fell to 1-4.