Playmaker LA Tenorio put up a sterling performance to help the Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings complete a big turnaround in the 38th PBA Commissioner’s Cup as he scored 28 points in a 111-103 win over the Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters in the deciding Game 5 of their semifinal series last night at the Araneta Coliseum.
Tenorio unloaded 12 of his total output in the final quarter as he led the Kings’ offense and quelled repeated rallies by the depleted Tropang Texters en route to the series-clinching win. The Kings, thus, completed their comeback from a 1-2 series deficit by winning the last two games of their matchup with the Texters.
Ginebra will next play the Alaska Aces in a best-of-five championship duel which will start on Wednesday.
Already without Kelly Williams and Jared Dillinger, Talk ‘N Text also missed the services of the injured Ranidel de Ocampo in the crucial game last night.
It has been an uphill climb for the Kings this conference as they started it with four straight losses. Ginebra also needed to overcome a twice-to-win disadvantage in the quarterfinal round against the second-ranked Rain or Shine Elasto Painters before moving to the semifinals.
Talk ‘N Text pushed Ginebra on the brink of the elimination when it took a 2-1 series lead.
Once again displaying its never-say-die attitude, the Kings bucked tremendous pressure, winning Game 4, 104-101, before coming up with a masterful performance last night.
Ginebra went on to post a mammoth 61-41 lead at the bend, a lead that increased to as many as 22 points in the third.
Talk ‘N Text launched several rallies in the endgame but Tenorio held the team together.