By Jonas Terrado
Game Thursday
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
7 p.m. — Meralco vs TNT KaTropa
(Series tied 1-1)
Game Friday
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
7 p.m. — NorthPort vs Ginebra
(Ginebra leads series 2-1)
Barangay Ginebra San Miguel moved on the doorstep of advancing to the PBA Governors’ Cup Finals after rolling past NorthPort 132-105 in Game 3 of their semis series Wednesday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Barangay Ginebra San Miguel’s Japeth Aguilar tries to maintain control of the ball after a rebound while being surrounded by Northport’s Sean Anthony and Christian Standhardinger during Game 3 of their PBA semifinal series at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. (MB Photo | Rio Deluvio)
Jeff Chan scored 11 of his 17 points in the second quarter, sparking a Ginebra pullaway that resulted in another blowout victory and a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five affair.
Chan was one of five players in double figures for Ginebra, which has made its shock 124-90 defeat to NorthPort in the series opener a distant memory.
Ginebra can make its way to a fifth finals appearance in coach Tim Cone’s tenure with a win on Friday at the Big Dome.
Import Justin Brownlee fired 41 points with 11 rebounds, seven assists, three steals and three blocks, Japeth Aguilar posted 18 points, 10 rebounds and four blocks, Stanley Pringle 14 points and six assists and LA Tenorio 11 points and five assists.
Scottie Thompson had another all-around effort despite having just four points, producing six rebounds and eight assists.
But it was Chan’s basket that gave Ginebra the room to turn what looked like a tight affair until the end into another lopsided game in the semis.
He scored nine of Ginebra’s first 11 points in the second period before Pringle, Aguilar and Brownlee took care of matters to go into halftime with a 64-48 lead.
Ginebra, with Brownlee leading the charge, widened the gap in the third by scoring 36 against NorthPort’s 24 to enter the fourth up 100-72.
Import Michael Qualls had 32 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, two steals and two blocks, bouncing back from a 20-point outing in Game 2.
But his output was not enough to send the Batang Pier on the brink of elimination.
Injuries are also taking its toll on NorthPort, which missed veteran guard Sol Mercado and forward Kevin Ferrer.
Mercado sat out after hurting his ankle while challenging Tenorio’s three-point attempt in Game 2 while Ferrer continues to be bothered by a foot problem that forced him to miss the series opener.
The Batang Pier will look to rediscover the form that enabled them to reach the semis despite being seeded eighth in the playoffs.
Game 5, if necessary, is set Sunday at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City.
The scores:
GINEBRA 132 — Brownlee 41, J. Aguilar 18, Chan 17, Pringle 14, Tenorio 11, Thompson 6, Mariano 6, R. Aguilar 5, Slaughter 4, Dillinger 2, Sargent 0, Caperal 0,
NORTHPORT 105 — Qualls 32, Standhardinger 20, Taha 15, Anthony 14, Lanete 8, Teodoro 8, Elorde 7, Cruz 5, King 2, Escoto 2.
Quarters: 36-31; 64-48; 100-72; 132-105.
Source: Manila Bulletin
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