By Ivan Saldajeno
DUBAI--Mark Caguioa started the damage, L.A. Tenorio and Orlando Johnson continued it, and Japeth Aguilar made a comeback from a hamstring injury to finish the job.
Ginebra bounced back from a bitter upset loss to Blackwater with a 93-81 win against a battle-weary Rain Or Shine club in their PBA Governors' Cup clash at the Al Shabab Arena on Saturday (Philippine Time).
Despite losing an early 20-point lead, the Gin Kings regained control in the dying moments of the third quarter and the entire fourth quarter to wrest their second win of the season-ending conference.
Caguioa erupted for 16 points in the first quarter to help Ginebra build a 28-14 lead over Rain Or Shine. Tenorio continued the early Ginebra attack and helped stretch the gap to 20, 43-23, early in the second.
Wendell McKines, however, sparked a 19-3 Elasto Painters run to cut the lead to four before Caguioa fired a buzzer-beating triple to put the Gin Kings, up, 49-42, at the half.
Rain Or Shine's run, however, continued and through McKines the team finally got the lead, 59-56, midway through the third frame.
Tenorio, however, sparked the game-turning 7-0 run to put Ginebra up for good, 63-59, later in the third, and Johnson kept Rain Or Shine at bay with his own made shots.
A 12-2 run late in the fourth highlighted by baskets from the returning Aguilar even widened the gap to 18, 93-75, before settling for the 12-point winning margin.
Despite another poor shooting, Johnson led the Gin Kings with 25 points, ten rebounds, and seven assists. Caguioa finished with 21 points, five rebounds, and two assists.
Tenorio came off the bench to add 20 points, 11 rebounds, four assists, and three steals, while Aguilar chipped in 15 points, ten rebounds, two assists, and two blocks in his Governors' Cup debut.
Wendell McKines tallied 35 points, 14 rebounds, and a steal for the Elasto Painters, who played the back end of a back-to-back. They won against the GlobalPort Batang Pier in the same arena on Friday (Philippine Time).
J.R. Quiñahan, another hero in that Rain Or Shine win on Friday, was limited to only one point, missing all of his six field goal attempts.
Box Scores:
Ginebra 93-Johnson 25, Caguioa 21, Tenorio 20, Aguilar 15, Marcelo 5, Baracael 5, Brondial 2, Mercado 0, Peña 0, Urbiztondo 0, Tungalag 0
Rain Or Shine 81-McKines 35, Lee 10, Jeri. Cruz 9, Araña 9, Norwood 5, Jerv. Cruz 4, Uyloan 2, Ibañes 2, Almazan 2, Tang 2, Quiñahan 1, Belga 0
Quarterscores: 28-14, 49-42, 71-65, 93-81
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