By ADRIAN STEWART CO
Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings displayed its firepower from start to finish, beating Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots, 103-80, in Game 3 of the 2022 PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City on Sunday night, December 18.
Justin Brownlee led the way with 38 points, including six three-pointers to go with nine rebounds and seven assists as the Gin Kings took a 2-1 advantage in the best-of-five semis series.
LA Tenorio also waxed hot with four outside conversions to finish with 20 points, while Earl Scottie Thompson contributed 12 markers along with seven boards and six assists for Ginebra.
Holding to a slim 17-15 lead after the opening quarter, the Gin Kings created separation from the Hotshots in the second frame on back-to-back treys by Brownlee and another triple by Tenorio for a 49-34 halftime lead.
The Hotshots kept the match close in the second half as they cut the deficit to as low as 10 points, but a three-point barrage by Brownlee and Tenorio as the lead reached its largest at 25 points.
Jiovani Jalalon top-scored with 16 points, while reinforcement Nicholas Rakocevic had double-double 10 points and 12 rebounds for the Hotshots, that missed the services of Paul Lee due to illness.
In the first game, Simon Enciso scored on a go-ahead three-pointer as the San Miguel Beermen stayed alive with a 98-96 win over the Bay Area Dragons in Game 3 of their best-of-five semis series. The Dragons were still ahead in the series, 2-1.
Down 96-93 following a three-pointer by the Dragons’ Kobey Lam, the Beermen first cut the deficit to 95-96 on two free throws by Devon Scott before Enciso surged his squad ahead at 98-96 with a corner triple.
The Dragons still had a chance to win the game but Lam misfired on his three-pointer while his center teammate Hayden Blankley was foiled by Beermen’s Jericho Cruz on his last-second inside try.
Scott finished the game with double-double 25 points and 14 rebounds, June Mar Fajardo also had double-double 21 points and 16 boards, while Jaymar Perez, Enciso and Terrence Romeo had 17, 16 and 13 markers, respectively.
GINEBRA 103 — Brownlee 38, Tenorio 20, Thompson 12, Standhardinger 8, Malonzo 8, J. Aguilar 6, Pringle 2, Mariano 2, Gray 2, R. Aguilar 2, Pessumal 2, Pinto 1, David 0.
MAGNOLIA 80 — Jalalon 16, Rakocevic 10, Wong 10, Dionisio 10, Ahanmisi 9, Abueva 8, Barroca 6, Corpuz 4, Mendoza 3, Sangalang 2, Laput 2, Lee 0, Dela Rosa 0, Reavis 0.
Quarterscores: 17-15, 49-34, 74-61, 103-80./ASC, WDJ