Barangay Ginebra San Miguel pulled away in the final stretch of the payoff period to beat NLEX, 95-86, Wednesday, March 23 and draw first blood in their PBA Governors’ Cup semifinal series at the Mall of Asia Arena.

The Gin Kings scored 15 straight points after the last deadlock at 78-all with under six minutes left to take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five series before a roaring midweek crowd.

Game 2 is set Friday at the same Pasay City venue, with the status of Japeth Aguilar still a question mark.

Ginebra won despite Aguilar hurting his calf after challenging the jumper of NLEX import Cam Clark early in the third quarter.

Import Justin Brownlee had another sensational performance with 27 points, 14 rebounds, six assists and four blocks for Ginebra.

LA Tenorio had 19 points, six rebounds and six assists, Scottie Thompson put up 15 points, 11 rebounds and three assists while Arvin Tolentino and Christian Standhardinger also scored in double figures with 11 and 10, the latter adding 12 rebounds.

Clark scored 30 points but the Road Warriors fell behind in the series despite leading by a high of 16 during the second quarter, 39-23.

The game was tight until Ginebra broke away in the fourth with Thompson atoning for splitting his two free throws by knocking down a triple for an 82-78 lead.

Tenorio scored a floater before Jeff Chan sank a three to make it 87-78 Ginebra, over four minutes to go.

A scoring lull that lasted a minute ended with a Thompson basket followed by four straight from Brownlee and the Gin Kings extended the margin to 93-78 near the two-minute mark.

The scores: 

GINEBRA 95 — Brownlee 27, Tenorio 19, Thompson 15, Tolentino 11, Standhardinger 10, Chan 7, Aguilar J. 4, Pinto 2, Onwubere 0, Caperal 0, Enriquez 0.

NLEX 86 — Clark 30, Alas 17, Semerad 8, Quinahan 8, Trollano 6, Paniamogan 5, Nieto 4, Chua 3, Rosales 3, Varilla 2, Ighalo 0.

Quarters: 23-29, 43-45, 70-64, 95-86.