By ADRIAN STEWART CO

Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings survived a gritty stand by the Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots for an 87-84 win in Game 1 of the 2022 PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City on Wednesday, December 14.

Jamie Malonzo tallied double-double with 21 points and 12 rebounds, while Earl Scottie Thompson had 16 points, seven rebounds and six assists as the Gin Kings took a 1-0 lead in the best-of-three series.

Christian Standhardinger posted 14 points and six rebounds, as reinforcement Justin Brownlee struggled all match long for Ginebra to end up with just 11 points, 13 rebounds and seven assists.

Clinging to a 77-76 lead midway in the fourth, the Gin Kings surged to an 83-76 lead on back-to-back treys by Malonzo and Thompson, but the Hotshots responded with a run, capped by a triple by Paul Lee, to cut the deficit to 84-85.

Standhardinger answered with a jumper for an 87-84 Ginebra lead and still had a chance to widen it.

Brownlee uncharacteristically missed two free throws but an offensive rebound by Standhardinger sealed the win for the Kings.

“It was really a struggle and it’s such a mental game out there,” Kings head coach Tim Cone said.

“But our guys, they just kept battling. It wasn’t pretty … it’s about getting it done, and that’s what the guys did,” he added.

Lee top-scored with 21 points, including four triples, Aris Dionisio added 12 markers, while Nicholas Rakocevic, Ian Sangalang and Calvin Abueva had 10 points each for the Hotshots.

The Gin Kings will look to stretch their lead in the race-to-three series when they face the Hotshots anew in Game 2 today, still at the same venue.

GINEBRA 87 — Malonzo 21, Thompson 16, Standhardinger 14, Brownlee 11, Pringle 8, Tenorio 6, J. Aguilar 6, Gray 3, Mariano 2.

MAGNOLIA 84 — Lee 21, Dionisio 12, Rakocevic 10, Sangalang 10, Abueva 10, Dela Rosa 7, Jalalon 6, Barroca 4, Corpuz 4, Reavis 0, Wong 0, Laput 0, Mendoza 0.

Quarterscores: 24-22, 45-44, 70-67, 87-84./ASC, WDJ