Gin Kings roll over Batang Pier anew, move one away from Finals
Brgy. Ginebra is now on the cusp of securing a finals berth in the PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup after a dominating 127-100 win over the NorthPort Batang Pier in Game 3 of their semifinals series.
Ginebra’s impressive performance was led by Jamie Malonzo, who had a conference-high 25 points to go along with 8 rebounds, earning him Player of the Game honors. Justin Brownlee chipped in with 22 points, 8 rebounds, and 8 assists, while Japeth Aguilar and Earl Scottie Thompson added 17 and 15 points, respectively.
The Gin Kings’ dominance was evident from the start, as they took a 30-21 lead in the opening quarter. They continued to pull away, leading by as many as 38 points at one point.
NorthPort’s Kadeem Jack top-scored with 32 points, but it wasn’t enough to overcome Ginebra’s strong performance.
Ginebra’s win gives them a commanding 3-0 series lead, and they will look to complete the sweep on Wednesday. NorthPort, meanwhile, will try to stave off elimination and extend the series.
“We’re happy with the win, but we know that NorthPort is a proud team and they’ll come out fighting on Wednesday,” said Ginebra coach Tim Cone. “We need to be ready and focused if we want to complete the sweep.”
Ginebra’s victory was a testament to their depth and experience. They had seven players score in double figures, and their bench outscored NorthPort’s reserves 47-29.
