Japeth Aguilar put up his best offensive performance in the last four years while Justin Brownlee finished with a triple-double as Barangay Ginebra fended off Phoenix, 110-101, to notch its first win streak in the PBA Season 49 Governors’ Cup at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium on Friday, Sept. 6.
Aguilar, Brownlee tower over Phoenix for Ginebra’s first win streak
Sep 6, 2024 02:45 PM
At a glance
Japeth Aguilar put up his best offensive performance in the last four years while Justin Brownlee finished with a triple-double as Barangay Ginebra fended off Phoenix, 110-101, to notch its first win streak in the PBA Season 49 Governors’ Cup at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium on Friday, Sept. 6.
Aguilar came one point shy of tying his scoring career-high and poured 31 points – none bigger than his timely hits that doused a furious third quarter rally from the Fuel Masters and restored order for the Kings, who improved to a 3-2 record in the Group B standings.
It was Aguilar’s best offensive night since he scored 32 points in the title-clinching Game 5 victory of Ginebra against TNT during the 2020 Philippine Cup bubble in Clark.
Brownlee provided the perfect complement to the towering Ginebra center with own career-night showing of 23 points, 12 rebounds and 10 assists. Stephen Holt also sustained his fine play for Ginebra with 19 points while RJ Abarrientos fired 16.
Ginebra looked poised to blow the game wide open after erecting a 20-point lead early in the third frame, 72-52, but Phoenix, like in its previous games, rose from the ashes and threatened to come back.
RR Garcia lit the fire to the Fuel Masters’ fiery 19-2 run, scoring 14 of his total 17 points during that stretch to pull his team within one, 74-73 with 3:20 remaining in the quarter.
However, three straight free throw hits from Aguilar stopped the bleeding before he capped 10 unanswered points from the Kings with an emphatic two-handed dunk off a nice feed from Scottie Thompson in transition.
Ginebra regained a double-digit spread, 83-73, and has since then never lost control of the advantage to jump into the second spot of Group, in tie with San Miguel while keeping Phoenix winless through the first round of the eliminations.
Import Brandone Francis paced the Fuel Masters with 33 points but it was the locals’ contributions that was seemingly lacking as aside from Garcia, only Jason Perkins was the other Phoenix player in double figures with 13 points.