The PBA Commissioner’s Cup semis continued on Friday, this time at the PhilSports Arena. At the end of hostilities, two storied franchises that just met in the Governor’s Cup Finals look headed for another title showdown. Here’s a recap of both games:
Ginebra Obliterates NorthPort Behind Japeth Aguilar’s 31
Barangay Ginebra San Miguel is halfway through another PBA Finals appearance, following its Game 1 rout of the NorthPort Batang Pier with a 119-106 beating in Game 2 of their PBA Commissioner’s Cup semis.
Ginebra jumped the gun on NorthPort from the get-go, racing out to a 35-22 advantage at the end of the first quarter behind some red-hot shooting and a smothering defense. The crowd darlings continued the onslaught in the second quarter, bumping the lead up to 68-39 to all but wrap up Game 2.
Japeth Aguilar led the way for Ginebra, firing a game- and conference-high 31 points on an ultra-efficient 11-for-17 clip from the field. Jamie Malonzo continued to rediscover his championship form, adding 17 points off the bench as he and RJ Abarrientos (11 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists) once again provided a spark. The comebacking Jeremiah Gray also gave Ginebra a jolt of energy, scoring all of his 6 points in the second quarter in his first game back from an ACL tear.
Kadeem Jack carried the fight for NorthPort with his team-high 27 points and 10 rebounds but once again got little help from Arvin Tolentino (12 points on 5-for-17 shooting and 4 turnovers) and Joshua Munzon (14 points). Will Navarro tried sparking the Batang Pier with his 23 points and 12 rebounds off the bench but his efforts proved for naught.
The Scores:
Ginebra (119) – J. Aguilar 31, Malonzo 17, Thompson 16, Rosario 11, Abarrientos 11, Brownlee 10, Ahanmisi 8, Holt 7, Gray 6, Pinto 2, Pessumal 0, Cu 0, Adamos 0, R. Aguilar 0, Mariano 0
NorthPort (106) – Jack 27, Navarro 23, Munzon 14, Tolentino 12, Bulanadi 10, Nelle 6, Yu 5, Miranda 5, Taha 3, Onwubere 1, Flores 0, Cuntapay 0
TNT Escapes Rain or Shine But Loses Jayson Castro to Injury
Defense won the TNT Tropang Giga, according to Chot Reyes. Defense won it again for the Tropa in Game 2 as they pulled out a 93-91 escape act over the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in their PBA Commissioner’s Cup semis bracket.
With Rondae Hollis-Jefferson sidelined in the final five minutes and Jayson Castro leaving the game with three minutes remaining, TNT once again held the fort with defense. Nursing a 93-91 lead after Adrian Nocum’s undergoal stab with less than two minutes left, TNT again got crucial stops to keep the Elasto Painters from either tying the game or grabbing the lead.
Hollis-Jefferson spearheaded the TNT attack in the first three quarters, firing a game-high 28 points on top of 10 rebounds, 3 assists, 2 steals, and 2 blocks before fouling out in the fourth. Castro, meanwhile, was marvelous once more, putting up 13 points, 5 rebounds, and 5 assists before limping to the dugout with what appeared to be a knee injury.
Deon Thompson paced Rain or Shine with 22 points and 10 boards. Adrian Nocum fired 19 off the bench but missed a potential go-ahead triple and a possible game-tying corner jumper in the final minute. Gian Mamuyac chipped in 11 in a surprise start but also missed a point-blank game-tying stab off a loose ball.
The Scores:
TNT (93) – Hollis-Jefferson 28, Castro 13, Erram 11, Pogoy 10, Aurin 10, Williams 8, Oftana 7, Nambatac 3, Khobuntin 3
Rain or Shine (91) – Thompson 22, Nocum 19, Mamuyac 11, Tiongson 10, Clarito 9, Caracut 7, Datu 7, Santillan 6, Asistio 0, Belga 0
PBA Commissioner’s Cup Semis Continue at Smart Araneta
The PBA Commissioner’s Cup semis will go back to the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Sunday for Game 3 of both series. Rain or Shine and TNT dispute Game 3 at 5:00 p.m., followed by Ginebra taking on NorthPort at 7:30 p.m.
