Ginebra escapes Kia's "Friday the 13th" fright

By Josh Castro

QUEZON CITY--Ginebra pulled away in the fourth quarter to thwart another upset bid by Kia, 100-92, in the nightcap of the PBA Commissioner's Cup doubleheader at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Gin Kings appeared to turn the game to a rout early on as they led the Carnival, 25-17, after the first quarter.

The Carnival, however, closed the gap to one, 45-46, at halftime and even took the lead midway in the third period, 56-53.

Ginebra outscored Kia, 17-9, later in the third to claim a 70-65 advantage, but the latter ended the quarter with five straight points to tie the game, 70-all.

The Gin Kings finally dealt the killer blow after outscoring the Carnival, 26-14, in the majority part of the fourth to take the win.

L.A. Tenorio led Ginebra, which posted a winning streak after dropping its first two games, with 11 points, seven assists, and two steals.