Ginebra survived losing Mark Caguioa in the fourth quarter as the Gin Kings turned back a tough Alaska side, 85-77, to stay on track for a playoff berth in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Araneta Coliseum Wednesday night.
The Kings went to Ronald Tubid and Mike Cortez down the stretch in clinching the hard-earned win, improving Ginebra’s record to 5-5 with four games left before it ends its elimination round campaign.
Tubid only scored a field goal the entire ballgame but came at the right time as his lone attempt, a fastbreak lay-up, stretched Ginebra’s shaky two-point lead to 81-77 with two minutes and nine seconds to go.
Then Cortez sealed the deal with a pull-up jumper off Jay-R Reyes in the final 30 seconds for an 83-77 Kings lead.
“It was a crucial game for us," said Ginebra coach Siot Tanquingcen. “It has the potential to be a do or die. It will be hard for us to bounce back if we lose this game. But it was a good gauge on how we want to stay competitive."
The Kings did stay competitive despite missing Caguioa’s services in the final eight minutes of the contest after the Ginebra guard twisted his right ankle. Caguioa finished with seven points on 3-of-9 shooting before sitting out the rest of the game.
Ginebra also played minus young big man Rico Maierhofer owing to a swollen knee.
Nino Canaleta played his best game since donning the Ginebra jersey with a team-high 21 points, but shot 8-of-21 from the floor, while Cortez and JC Intal added 13 and 12 markers each.
Sonny Thoss finished with 13 points and seven rebounds to lead five other Alaska players in double figures.
The Aces, however, only scored 12 points in the fourth as they fell to a 3-8 record.
A Tony Dela Cruz basket pulled Alaska within two, 79-77, in the 2:56 mark of the final period.
That proved to be the Aces’ final stand as the Kings scored the game’s final six points to take the fight out of the 13-time league champions. — JVP, GMA News
Scores:
Ginebra 85—Canaleta 21, Cortez 13, Intal 12, Helterbrand 10, Mamaril 9, Villanueva 7, Caguioa 7, Wilson J. 2, Wilson W. 2, Tubid 2.
Alaska 77—Thoss 13, Custodio 12, Reyes 11, Baguio 11, Dela Cruz 11, Tenorio 10, Baracael 5, Eman 2, Bugia 2, Salamat 0.
Quarter scores: 21-23, 42-46, 66-65, 85-77.
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