By ADRIAN STEWART CO
Earl Scottie Thompson capped off Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings’ fourth quarter fightback with a go-ahead trey as they beat San Miguel Beermen, 97-96, in the 2022 PBA Commissioner’s Cup on Sunday night, November 6, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Down 94-96 following a layup by Beermen’s Devon Scott, Thompson surged the Gin Kings ahead at 97-96 with a corner three-pointer from a pass by Justin Brownlee with four seconds left.
Thompson finished the game with 14 points, six rebounds, six assists, and five steals as the Gin Kings racked up their third consecutive victory to move up to third place with a 5-2 win-loss slate.
Brownlee flirted with triple-double 33 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists, Jamie Malonzo chipped in 13 markers, Japeth Aguilar had double-double 11 points and 11 rebounds and Aljon Mariano hit 10 markers for the Gin Kings.
Trailing by as much as 19 points to start the fourth quarter, the Gin Kings went on a spirited fight back behind Aguilar, Mariano and Stanley Pringle to cut the deficit to 81-71 before the Beermen raised it anew to 11 points.
The Gin Kings then dropped an 11-2 scoring blast via a three-pointer by Brownlee and inside conversions from Nard John Pinto, Thompson, Aguilar, and Malonzo to tie the score at 94-all.
Scott ended the match with double-double 26 points and 21 rebounds, Jaymar Perez added 19 markers, Ilonggo Jericho Cruz and Simon Enciso had 14 each, while Vic Manuel chipped in 13 as the Beermen dropped to 3-4.
In the first game, Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots pulled away in the second half to take down Blackwater Bossing, 91-69. The Hotshots remained on top at 6-1, while the Bossing skidded to 3-6.
From a slim 44-37 lead at the half, the Hotshots created separation from the Bossing in the third quarter behind inside conversions from Nicholas Rakocevic, Ian Sangalang and Andy Mark Barroca for a 70-55 lead.
Magnolia continued its onslaught in the final quarter with Sangalang and Rakocevic punishing the interior defense of Blackwater as the lead reached its biggest at 83-58 on a layup by Jerrick Ahanmisi.
Rakocevic tallied double-double 17 points and 15 rebounds, Sangalang and Ahanmisi chipped in 17 and 14 markers, respectively, while Jiovani Jalalon contributed 13 points, nine assists, six rebounds, and four steals for the Hotshots.
GINEBRA 97 — Brownlee 33, Thompson 14, Malonzo 13, J. Aguilar 11, Mariano 10, Pringle 4, Pinto 4, Gray 3, Pessumal 3, Tenorio 2, R. Aguilar 0.
SAN MIGUEL 96 — Scott 26, Perez 19, Enciso 14, Cruz 14, Manuel 13, Tautuaa 8, Lassiter 2, Ross 0, Herndon 0.
Quarterscores: 19-29, 46-53, 63-80, 97-96./ASC, WDJ