DEFENDING champion Barangay Ginebra broke out of a worst slump in the Tim Cone era, pulling it off at the expense of a team with the worst losing streak in the PBA - Blackwater.
With a sizzling start, the Gin Kings seized big leads that reached a high of as 31 points then weathered the Bossing's fourth-quarter storm to end a harrowing four-game skid in the PBA Governors' Cup Friday night at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.
Coach Cone and the Gin Kings, now with an even 4-4, moved up to a share of sixth with idle TNT Tropang Giga and Phoenix Super LPG.
The winless Bossing, meanwhile, plummeted to their eighth consecutive loss of the tournament, their long-running skid extended to a 27th game dating back to the 2020 Philippine Cup bubble in Clark.
The latest setback all but extinguished Blackwater's quarterfinals aspirations regardless of the outcome of their last three elims assignments.
This stretched their playoffs misses to four consecutive conferences, giving them an overall record of 14 early exits in 18 conferences in the PBA.
Resident import Justin Brownlee scattered 25 points, eight rebounds and six assists with two steals and two blocks to lead Ginebra to the bounce back victory that delighted their roaring faithful in Antipolo.
Japeth Aguilar (18-8), Scottie Thompson (16-9-8), LA Tenorio (14 markers, nine dimes) and Christian Standhardinger (13) also stepped up for Cone.
Shawn Glover netted 29 and JVee Casio rifled in 27 spiked by an 8-of-13 three-point shooting to pace Blackwater.
The Gin Kings knocked in eight triples in the first period to take an initial 37-20 upperhand and widened the gap to 25 in the second, 47-22, and 31 in the third, 81-50.
But the Bossing, with Glover, Casio and Paul Desiderio as spearheads, conspired for a major uprising that pushed Blackwater to within seven points, 105-98, still 1:35 to go.
Brownlee and Aguilar, however, put out the fire with two freebies and a jump shot, respectively, heading home. (OL)
The Scores:
Ginebra 109 - Brownlee 25, Aguilar 18, Thompson 16, Tenorio 14, Standhardinger 13, Onwubere 9, Tolentino 7, Chan 6, Caperal 1, Ayaay 0, Enriquez 0.
Blackwater 100 - Glover 29, Casio 27, Ebona 10, Amer 10, Desiderio 7, McCarthy 5, Suerte 4, Ayonayon 2, Nabong 2, Baloria 2, Amboludto 1, Escoto 1, Melton 0, Washington 0, Escoto 0, Paras 0.
Quarterscores: 37-20, 63-41, 89-64, 109-100. (PBA)
(Photo credits to: Rappler)