Reporting note: this article draws on gmanetwork.com; LodiScore provides the summary and editorial framing.
Barangay Ginebra held off Blackwater, 101-96, on Friday at the Ynares Center in Antipolo to close the PBA Governors' Cup elimination round and claim a Ginebra quarterfinal place against San Miguel.
The Gin Kings finished the eliminations at 5-5, third in Group B. Blackwater ended its campaign at 3-7 and last in the group, eliminated from playoff contention along with Meralco, while Magnolia, Rain or Shine and Phoenix secured quarterfinal berths.
Blackwater's late run comes up short
Ginebra led 97-82 midway through the fourth quarter and appeared to be in control of a game it had led from the opening period. Blackwater answered with an 8-0 run to cut into the deficit with 2:37 remaining, forcing the Gin Kings to close the game out at the line and on defense.
Ralph Cu halted the run, but Jed Mendoza knocked down a three-pointer to bring the Bossing within six at 99-93 with 1:03 left. John Abis then drew a foul from James Sena and sank his free throws to give Ginebra breathing room.
Jack Cruz-Dumont drilled another triple as Blackwater kept pushing, but the Gin Kings held on. The finish stood in contrast to the first half, when Ginebra opened with a 33-19 first quarter and stretched the margin to 63-47 by halftime.
Ginebra quarterfinal place sets up San Miguel series
The victory arranges a best-of-five quarterfinal series against San Miguel. The report lists the matchup as a best-of-five series; specific game dates and venues were not included in it.
For Ginebra, the elimination round closes at 5-5, a record that left the team third in Group B and settled its bracket placing only on the final day of eliminations. The Gin Kings had already built their cushion early in this one, then spent the last three minutes protecting it.
Blackwater's exit came after a late surge that briefly made the game uncomfortable. The Bossing scored 24 points in the fourth quarter, their highest-scoring period of the game, but the deficit built over the first two quarters proved too large.
Group B standings after the final elimination game
Ginebra's 5-5 mark placed it third in Group B. Blackwater's 3-7 record left it at the bottom of the group and ended the Bossing's conference. Meralco was also eliminated, while Magnolia, Rain or Shine and Phoenix secured quarterfinal berths.
The quarterfinal pairings now include Ginebra against San Miguel, with Magnolia, Rain or Shine and Phoenix also through. For Blackwater and Meralco, the elimination round is the end of the line.
Jordan Murphy and Kent Barkley lead the scoring
Jordan Murphy led Ginebra with 22 points, nine rebounds, four assists, two steals and a block. Troy Rosario added 17 points, while Abarrientos contributed 14, Gray 11, Thompson 10 and J. Aguilar 10 in a spread-out Ginebra scoring effort.
Kent Barkley paced Blackwater with 16 points, nine rebounds and an assist, with Sedrick Barefield chipping in 12. Panopio and Murrell each scored nine for the Bossing, who got points from across their rotation but never erased the early hole.
What to watch in the San Miguel series
The best-of-five format gives both sides room for a slow start, and Ginebra's late-game wobble against Blackwater is the obvious point of scrutiny. A 97-82 lead with under four minutes left became a six-point game with a minute to play.
San Miguel enters the series off a higher placing in the standings, and the quarterfinal schedule will determine how quickly Ginebra has to correct those closing stretches. The Gin Kings' 5-5 elimination record suggests a series that could run long.
The original report on this game was published by gmanetwork.com.
