Kinailangan munang itono ng Barangay Ginebra ang kalampag na umpisa bago nairatrat ang taktika kontra Alaska Milk at nagtiyaga hanggang sa huli para makaporma sa kanilang title-retention bid para sa unang tagumpay.
Sa likod ng key plays at key baskets nina Stanley Pringle, Justin Brownlee at LA Tenorio sa endgame, sinalok ng Gin Kings 80-77 decision laban sa dating unbeaten Aces Linggo sa Ynares Sports Arena sa Pasig.
Komolekta si Brownlee ng 28 points, 10 rebounds, four assists at two blocks para markahan ang kanyang pagbabalik sa liga kung saan nakagapas siya ng tatlong korona para sa Ginebra.
"It's good to be back, and it's pretty good to start the conference with a win. We're okay but we can get better," sambit ni Brownlee.
"We had a hard time finding a good rhythm. It's an uphill climb but we got some key stops and key loose balls. When Stanley (Pringle) tied the game, that gave us confidence. Justin also hit a key shot, then LA iced it," hayag ni Ginebra coach Tim Cone.