Despite playing with a cut above his left eye for most part of the game, Mark Caguioa still managed to lead the Ginebra Gin Kings to a 104-101 victory over league-leaders Talk ’N Text Tropang Texters yesterday in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Mall of Asia Arena.
In the first game, the Meralco Bolts recovered from a blowout loss the last time out, venting their ire on the skidding Petron Blaze Boosters via a 95-81 win.
Coming off a one week rest, the Bolts broke the game wide open in the third to move up to solo fourth spot in the team standings with their fifth victory in eight games.
Caguioa, meanwhile, scored 22 points even after getting hit by an Ali Peek elbow in the first half of the game.
LA Tenorio added 21 for the Kings but it was the combined efforts of the veterans such as Rudy Hatfield and Jayjay Helterbrand that spelled the difference in the game.
Hatfield had 12 points and his hassle on the offensive boards allowed the Kings to have more second-chance points. Helterbrand, on the other hand, played good defense against Talk ’N Text’s guards and made crucial baskets down the stretch for a total of 11 markers.
The Gin Kings, thus, logged their second straight win and improved to 4-5 (win-loss). The Texters still lead the standings with a 7-2 mark.
BALANCED ATTACK
Meralco bounced back from an 86-101 loss to Rain or Shine last Nov. 4 behind a balanced attack.
Sol Mercado and Reynel Hugnatan both fired 22 points, while Mark Cardona and rookie Cliff Hodge wound up with 16 and 15 markers, respectively.
Typifying Meralco’s total team effort was the 28 assists that the team collected.
Petron was in the game in the first half but had a frustrating finish when Meralco stepped on the gas in the final half.
The Bolts, with almost every player contributing, turned a slim 45-38 halftime lead into a huge 69-51 advantage going into the final period.
The game was never close after that as the Bolts maintained double-digit spreads the rest of the way.
The loss extended Petron’s miseries, tasting their third straight defeat and sixth overall in nine outings. The Boosters are now tied with the Barako Bull Energy Cola for the eighth and ninth spots.