![Rookie Jeremiah Gray delivered clutch baskets in Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings’ come-from-behind win over NLEX Road Warriors. (PBA photo)](https://watchmendailyjournal.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/PBA-GOVERNORS-CUP-1-1024x666.jpg)
By ADRIAN STEWART CO
Jeremiah Gray delivered with clutch triples as Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings pulled off a come-from-behind 114-111 win over NLEX Road Warriors in the 2022-2023 PBA Governors’ Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Wednesday night, February 8.
Down 101-108 with over a minute left, Gray unloaded back-to-back three-pointers followed by two free throws by Justin Brownlee to take a 109-108 advantage with 50 seconds left.
The Road Warriors notched the lead for the last time at 111-109 after a three-point play by Kevin Alas, but Gray retaliated with another triple to surge the Gin Kings on top, 112-111.
Brownlee then drilled two free throws to widen Ginebra’s lead to 114-111 in the final three seconds of the game before NLEX’s Wayne Selden, Jr. misfired his three-point attempt at the buzzer.
Gray finished with 19 points, with nine coming inside the last two minutes, to go with four rebounds and three assists as the defending champion Gin Kings stayed perfect after two games this conference.
Brownlee tallied 44 points, 16 rebounds and six assists, Earl Scottie Thompson had 12 points, 10 assists and seven rebounds, while Stanley Pringle contributed 10 markers for the Gin Kings.
The Gin Kings were shorthanded with Christian Standhardinger missing the game due to a knee injury. Japeth Aguilar was also ruled out later in the game due to a knee injury as well, allowing Raymond Aguilar to play eight minutes where he grabbed five rebounds.
“We were coming off a really tough conference and we didn’t really have much time to get into condition. It’s almost expected that you’ll go through these times where guys are going to be a little beat up,” Kings head coach Tim Cone said.
Selden made his debut with 43 points, seven rebounds and seven assists, Alas chipped in 22 markers, while Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser and Kris Rosales had 19 and 10, respectively, as the Road Warriors dropped to 4-1.
Meanwhile, TNT Tropang Giga survived several rallies by the Converge FiberXers before pulling off a 128-122 escape. The two squads are now tied with a 4-1 win-loss record. Jalen Hudson top-scored with 56 points for the winning team.
GINEBRA 114 — Brownlee 44, Gray 19, Thompson 12, Pringle 10, Malonzo 9, J. Aguilar 9, Pinto 8, Tenorio 3, Pessumal 0, R. Aguilar 0, Mariano 0.
NLEX 111 — Selden Jr. 43, Alas 22, Ganuelas-Rosser 19, Rosales 10, Semerad 6, Trollano 6, Gabo 3, Anthony 2, Doliguez 0, Pascual 0.
Quarterscores: 28-15, 55-59, 84-92, 114-111./ASC, WDJ