Barangay Ginebra San Miguel regained its bearings with a huge second half to pummel Meralco, 95-84, Wednesday, April 13 and tie the PBA Governors’ Cup Finals at 2-2 before another record crowd at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Best Import Justin Brownlee and Best Player of the Conference Scottie Thompson did most of the damage after a 41-all tie at the break as the Gin Kings recovered from a painful Game 3 loss to once draw level with the Bolts.
Important contributions from Christian Standhardinger, LA Tenorio, Jeff Chan and even Japeth Aguilar, who made his finals debut after dealing with a calf injury, were a factor in the victory fashioned out before a midweek crowd of 17,298.
It was the largest audience in any local event since the pandemic, a majority of them ending up going home with smiles on their faces as Ginebra avoided a dreaded 3-1 hole.
“Difference between death and life,” Ginebra coach Tim Cone said of getting the series tied going into the lenten break.
“Like I said at halftime, we were playing for our lives in this game. If we go down 3-1, it’s not impossible but the odds are greatly against us. If we go 2-2, now it’s a best-of-three series and it’s equal. It’s basically who gets the next game is gonna have a leg up so it’s a huge difference.
“This was in my mind, a must-win for us to stay in the series and get a chance to win,” he added
Brownlee and Thompson scored 27 points apiece as they showed why they were named as the winner of the two individual awards handed prior to tipoff.
It took a while before Brownlee, who had a cold shooting performance in the 83-74 loss last Sunday, to heat up as erupted all of his 16 second half points in the third which saw Ginebra taking full control of the contest.
Thompson, who won the BPC for the first time, didn’t waver after a strong offensive start as he combined with Brownlee to put the Bolts at bay.
Ginebra as a whole also turned the tables on Meralco with its strong defensive play all the way to the fourth when a three by Nards Pinto made it a commanding 80-60 lead.
Meralco attempted to rally in the final period, pulling to as close as seven, 85-78 on a triple by Chris Newsome. But Thompson knocked down a three of his own with 2:14 left to tie his career-high while also preventing Ginebra from suffering any colossal meltdown.
Import Tony Bishop scored 25 points but Meralco couldn’t put a stranglehold on the series as it will now use the four-day respite to repent and recharge in preparation for the pivotal fifth game on Easter Sunday.
Standhardinger made some medium-range jumpers on his way to 11 points while grabbing six rebounds, LA Tenorio scored 17 including some late shots in the fourth and Jeff Chan came to the bench to produce nine points.
Aguilar played 10 minutes in his first game since Game 1 of the semifinal series against NLEX last March 23, and went scoreless before reinjuring his calf, but was credited by Cone for being a presence on both ends.
Newsome added 15 points but was 5-of-16 from the floor, Aaron Black put up 14 points and nine rebounds and Raymond Almazan added 11 points and nine boards in the Bolts’ setback.
The scores:
GINEBRA 95 — Brownlee 27, Thompson 27, Tenorio 17, Standhardinger 11, Chan 9, Pinto 4, Tolentino 0, Aguilar J. 0, Mariano 0.
MERALCO 84 — Bishop 25, Newsome 15, Black 14, Almazan 11, Quinto 6, Hodge 5, Hugnatan 3, Banchero 2, Baclao 0, Caram 0.
Quarters: 24-21, 41-41, 68-54, 95-84.