The Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings gave its rival, the Meralco Bolts, the boot, cruising to a 94-87 win in the intense Game 3 of their best-of-three quarterfinals series in the PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup on Sunday, February 9, at the Ynares Sports Center in Antipolo.

The Gin Kings erased an early 13-point deficit against the Bolts as they set up a semifinals encounter against top-seeded the NorthPort Batang Pier.

Collective effort propelled Ginebra to the next round with resident import Justin Brownlee leading the charge, with 25 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists, two blocks, and one steal, to help overcome their slow start.

Brownlee did not lack support with Stephen Holt firing 17 markers, five boards and two dimes, while RJ Abarrientos proved to be the energizer in the fourth quarter as the rookie tallied 16 points off the bench alongside four rebounds and three assists.

After overcoming what was once a 32-19 disadvantage early in the second period, Ginebra just started to lean on its defense and pull away with Ralph Cu burying a triple that made it a 64-56 lead late in the third.

But the Bolts, who were coming off a narrow 108-104 Game 2 win, banked on Bong Quinto in the comeback attempt as he cut the deficit to a solitary point, 71-70.

Holt, though, answered with a three-pointer before things got heated when Meralco active consultant Nenad Vucinic was ejected off the playing court for incurring a second technical foul with 5:41 left in the game.

Quinto kept on trying to flip the switch for Meralco with four straight free throws that cut the gap to four, 80-76, but the rest of the Bolts just couldn’t get their shots going.

Ginebra found the best opportunity to pull away for good with Japeth Aguilar soaring for a dunk before Holt once again knocked down a triple to sink Meralco.

Chris Newsome paced Meralco with 22 points, three rebounds and one assist before he was fouled out with three minutes to go. (GMA Integrated News)