Ginebra Kings Clinch Twice to Beat Bonus in Hard-Fought Victory Against Terrafirma Dyip 2023
On Wednesday night, Barangay Ginebra faced Terrafirma in a hotly fought game in which both teams pushed themselves to the utmost. But the Kings found a way to win in the end, garnering an outright twice-to-beat incentive for the 2018 PBA Governors Cup semifinals.
Justin Brownlee and Jordan Williams battled it out, with both players leading their respective sides in scoring. Brownlee was crucial to the Kings’ triumph, making clutch plays to seal the game. He had 38 points, six assists, five blocks, and three rebounds. Nevertheless, Williams gave the Dyip a spirited fight, scoring 35 points and snagging ten rebounds.
Despite Terrafirma’s outstanding performance in their final two games against the Magnolia Hotshots and the Kings, they defeated them on both occasions. Jamie Malonzo delivered the knockout punch against Ginebra, blasting away from defender Andreas Cahilig and thundering with a two-handed jam to make it 109-104 with 13.1 seconds remaining.
Nards Pinto and Brownlee had strong games earlier, with the former hitting a three-pointer to break a 102-all tie and the latter scoring on a drive to give Ginebra a 107-104 lead in the final minute.
Brownlee created two critical blocks against Williams in the last minute to help the Kings capture the major victory ahead of the All-Star Week break.
With the absence of LA Tenorio and Japeth Aguilar, Ginebra’s remaining essential players stood up throughout the game. Christian Standhardinger scored 23 points, 12 rebounds, and six assists, while Malonzo had another dunking exhibition to cap a 16-point, 13-rebound performance. Scottie Thompson had 13 points, five rebounds, and three assists.
Even though the game was close, coach Tim Cone only used seven players, with only Stanley Pringle and Jeremiah Gray coming off the bench. The Dyip battled valiantly, with Williams leading the charge, but were finally defeated.
Ginebra has already assured a Top 4 position in the single-round-robin elimination stage, regardless of the outcome of their last game on March 17 versus TNT Tropang Giga. The Kings presently have an 8-2 record, behind only the Tropang Giga (8-1), while the Dyip finished their elimination round with a 2-9 record.
