JAPETH Aguilar had 31 points in one of the best offensive games of his career as Barangay Ginebra defeated Phoenix, 110-101, on Friday in the PBA 49th Season Governors’ Cup at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
The veteran Aguilar led from the front in the Kings’ third in five games at the close of their first round campaign. He had 14 points in the second half, enabling Ginebra to fight off a third-quarter rally by Phoenix.
Justin Brownlee had a triple double with 23 points, 12 rebounds, and 10 assists for Barangay Ginebra, which led by as many as 20 points which nearly disappeared in the face of a brave Phoenix comeback led by RR Garcia.
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Ginebra also went on a 9-0 run which Aguilar highlighted with a two-hand slam after Phoenix had come to within a point all of a sudden at 74-73.
“I thought our guys did a good job of keeping their composure,” said Ginebra coach Tim Cone. “Once it got to a one-point game, they got back to that mentality of playing possession by possession and focusing on defense, and made another run, ironically, with Justin off the floor.
“That shows some really good character at that point.”
Aguilar came one point shy of his career high of 32 that he set thrice, the last in Game Five of the 2020 PBA Philippine Cup Finals between Ginebra and TNT during the Clark bubble on December 9, 2020.
Stephen Holt had 19 points including a four-pointer during that late third-quarter pullaway by the Gin Kings, while RJ Abarrientos had 16 points, four rebounds, and four assists.
Phoenix fell to 0-5 despite the gallant fight. Brandone Francis had 33 points, while Garcia had 17 points including 14 in the third quarter that got the Fuelmasters back in the game, only to sputter in the final stretch.
The scores:
Barangay Ginebra 110 – J. Aguilar 31, Brownlee 23, Holt 19, Abarrientos 16, Thompson 9, Ahanmisi 7, Tenorio 3, Go 2, Cu 0, Garcia 0, Pinto 0, Adamos 0, Mariano 0.
Phoenix 101 – Francis 33, Garcia 17, Perkins 13, Mocon 8, Rivero 7, Tio 7, Muyang 5, Jazul 3, Ballungay 2, Daves 2, Verano 2, Manganti 2, Tuffin 0, Alejandro 0, Salado 0.
