Ginebra Boys, MagBeerPagRain forge Japa Cup title clash

MANILA, Philippines – Ginebra Boys and MagBeerPagRain forged a championship showdown for this year’s PBA Press Corps Raffy Japa Cup basketball tournament by posting contrasting victories against separate opponents Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Richard Marcos sank a left corner triple off a Patrick Partosa kick-out pass with 62 ticks remaining to secure the Ginebra Boys’ close 64-60 win over TerraPort; while MagBeerPagRain relied anew on its twin towers in Aldo Panlilio and Ethan Casares in a 92-71 rout and elimination of erstwhile unbeaten MVP Sports Foundation in the tournament organized by the PBA Press Corps and presented by Burlington.

The winner-take-all Ginebra-MBPR title game of the tourney which is also sponsored by Rain or Shine, Gatorade, the Philippine Sports Commission, and the PBA, is slated at 12:30 p.m. Friday also at the Big Dome right after the one-game battle for third between MVPSF and TerraPort.

Marcos, looking like he has already fully recovered from a hamstring pull right in his team’s very first game in the tournament, finished with 16 points to lead the Kings while adding six rebounds and two assists; while Aaron Ang and JayR Baron ably backed him up with 12 points apiece.

Sydney Talabis, back in action also from a hamstring injury, was one of two double-digit scorers for the Batang Dyip with his 20 points which came with eight boards, two steals, and an assist and shot block each. Jun Tenerife added 11 points for TerraPort.

Panlilio and Casares towered head and shoulders above an undermanned MVPSF squad with the former finishing with 29 points, 11 rebounds, three assists, and a steal and the latter tallying 20 points, 12 rebounds, two shot blocks, and an assist and steal apiece. John Tabasin was also a factor with his 17 markers.

Led by Panlilio’s eight points, MagBeerPagRain, a team composed of coaches and support staff from San Miguel Beer, Magnolia and Rain or Shine, more than doubled MVPSF’s output in the second period, 23-11, to break the game wide open en route to leads of as much as 29.

Allan Apura had an off shooting night but still finished with 30 points to lead MVPSF in the loss, their first defeat in the tournament.

The scores:

First game

Ginebra Boys 64 – Marcos 16,  Ang 12, Baron 12, Mendoza 7, Partosa 7, Atienza 3, Calilan 3, Liape 2, Del Rosario 2, Hugo 0, Trillana 0.

TerraPort 60 – Talabis 20, Tenerife 11, Clerigo 7, Caliwag 7, Jarencio 5, Tagana 3, Cabungan 3, Uy 2, Avenido 2, Espiritu 0, Rasay 0.

Quarterscores: 19-15, 31-33, 44-42, 64-60.

Second game

MagBeerPagRain 92 – Panlilio 29, Casares 20, Tabasin 17, G. Bacason 8, Vivo 5, Rosales 4, Conejos 4, Lajada 3, E. Bacason 2, Mendoza 0, Malihan 0, Cortez 0, Salvador 0.

MVPSF 71 – Apura 30, Delicano 13, Arguelles 11, Eslera 8, Sunga 6, Santiago 3, Bartolome 0.

Quarterscores: 20-16, 43-27, 70-45, 92-71.