PBA: Justin Brownlee, LA Tenorio extend Ginebra’s winning run to four

By Jonas Terrado

Barangay Ginebra San Miguel overcame Blackwater’s late uprising to prevail 101-93 and extend its winning streak to four games Wednesday night in the PBA Governors’ Cup at the Cuneta Astrodome.

Key baskets by Justin Brownlee and a three-pointer by LA Tenorio entering the final two minutes as Ginebra moved to a tie for third place with Meralco at 5-2 heading into their match on Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Brownlee registered his fourth triple-double of the conference with 17 points, 12 rebounds and 11 assists, Tenorio scored a team-high 20 points and Stanley Pringle added 16.

Tenorio topscored for Ginebra on the night he became the seventh player in PBA history to make 1,000 career triples and seventh to have at least 800 steals.

Coach Tim Cone was glad to see Ginebra come away with the win after Blackwater sliced a 21-point deficit to only four, over three minutes remaining in the fourth.

“We just didn’t play our game and we almost paid for it,” Cone said.

Mac Belo produced 19 points and rookie Ray Parks Jr. recovered from a lackluster first half to finish with 14 points, five rebounds and five assists as the Elite suffered their fourth straight setback to tie the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters at 2-7.

Import Marqus Blakely tallied eight points and 13 rebounds against Cone, his former coach when he won two championships with the San Mig Super Coffee Mixers.

Ginebra went ahead 72-51 on Pringle’s triple with over five minutes remaining in the third and primed to come away victorious.

But Belo scored 11 in the fourth as the Elite tried to mount a comeback in the fourth. Brownlee, however, made back-to-back baskets including a reserve layup that made it 93-86.

Rabeh Al-Hussaini drained a corner three with the shot clock winding down to cut Blackwater’s deficit to 93-89, only for Tenorio responded by knocking down his fifth triple of the contest to bring the margin back to seven.

The scores:

GINEBRA 101 — Tenorio 20, Aguilar 18, Brownlee 17, Pringle 16, Slaughter 11, Thompson 10, Dela Cruz 6, Chan 3, Caguioa 0, Mariano 0.

BLACKWATER 93 — Belo 19, Parks 14, Sumang 12, Cruz 11, Heruela 8, Blakely 8, Sena 6, Al-Hussaini 6, Desiderio 3, Canaleta 3, Tolomia 3.

Quarters: 29-17; 55-44; 77-64; 101-93.

Source: Manila Bulletin