PBA: Ginebra defeats Meralco as Aguilar drains game-winning three

 

He did it again.

 

Japeth Aguilar hit another game-winning three-pointer for the second time this conference, pushing Barangay Ginebra San Miguel past the Meralco Bolts, 83-82, in the PLDT MyDSL 2014 PBA Philippine Cup, Saturday, at the Mall of Asia Arena.

 

Facing a 82-77 deficit with 15 seconds left, Jay-R Reyes nailed an improbable corner triple for the Barangay off the inbounds pass, then Ginebra fouled John Wilson to the line. Wilson missed both, returning ball possession to Ginebra. LA Tenorio walked the ball up the court, and failing to get his shot off, passed the ball to Japeth Aguilar at the top of the circle. Aguilar faked and stepped back to his left to shake off Reynel Hugnatan's challenge, then swished the ball through the net with 0.1 on the clock as the crowd erupted into a frenzy.

 

Aguilar finished with 15 points, 11 rebounds and four blocks. Greg Slaughter led all scorers with 17 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks. Mac Baracael logged 14 points, making three of his four three-pointers, while LA Tenorio chipped in13 points, nine rebounds and seven assists.

 

"Kung mami-miss, talagang ganon," smiled Ginebra head coach Ato Aguistin about Aguilar's second game-winning triple of the season. "Pero yung crucial doon yung kay Jay-R talaga."

 

"Let's credit our big guys who hit two crucial three-point shots. But let's also credit Meralco who played great, especially on defense," stressed Agustin. "Na-control nila yung mga [players] namin."

 

Ginebra won their fifth straight game to keep the top spot in the standings, 9-1, while Meralco suffered their fourth straight loss, 3-7, to tie Barako Bull at ninth.

 

The first quarter was off to an electrifying start as Gary David scored nine of Meralco's first 11 points to counter Ginebra's athletic finishes at the rim, 11-10. The Bolts survived a three-point barrage from Mac Baracael and Josh Urbiztondo as James Sena finished inside, 20-20, before LA Tenorio took over in the last two minutes of the frame. Tenorio outplayed his defenders for six of the Barangay's last seven, until a John Wilson drive with 20 seconds left made it a 27-22 game.

 

Despite conceding a Chris Ellis tomahawk jam in traffic, Meralco showed better interior defense in the second quarter. The same couldn't be said for Ginebra, though, as they conceded 11 of Meralco's next 14 points in the paint, 36-33. But in the the last five minutes Ginebra turned a corner, as twin baskets inside from Greg Slaughter helped even the tally at halftime, 40-40.

The lead swung to Ginebra in the third quarter as a Japeth Aguilar dunk bolstered a 48-42 Ginebra edge. The Bolts took another hit when James Sena picked up his fifth personal foul, plus a technical for showing resentment. Tenorio missed the technical free throw while Slaughter split, but on the next possession, Tenorio nailed a trey, 52-46.

 

Meralco kept looking for their shots inside, as good playmaking allowed four different Bolts to score in the paint, before Jared Dillinger cut to the rim as the period expired, giving his team a 60-59 edge.

 

Treys from Ellis and Baracael allowed Ginebra to hang around while Meralco pushed the ball off stops. Neither team led by more than three points, before Meralco broke through when a Hugnatan reverse drew an and-one at 2:48, followed by a Jared Dillinger jumper from the right corner, 78-73.

 

Caguioa missed a chance to make it a single possession game from beyond the arc. Meralco looked to Mike Cortez for a three-pointer, and he was fouled by Slaughter. Cortez couldn't quite shake the fall and converted just one of three, 79-73.

 

Ginebra called a timeout at the 1:30 mark, and Meralco took the chance to sub Cortez out when play resumed. This time, the Barangay converted, as Aguilar slammed home a missed Tenorio drive. Aguilar drew a foul but didn't convert, allowing Dillinger to push the lead back up to six with a drive on the other end.

 

Aguilar scored again, this time on the block, and Ginebra secured a stop with under a minute to spare, 81-77. Aguilar tried to nail one from deep but missed. Caguioa secured the board but threw the ball away, and Ginebra were forced to foul John Wilson. Wilson split, 82-77, with 15 seconds remaining before Aguilar's heroics felled them in the end.

 

Ginebra shot 33-of-77 (42.9 percent), including 9-of-19 (47.4 percent) from the arc. Meralco went 35-of-77 (45.5 percent), and 3-of-11 (27.3 percent) from deep.

 

The Bolts were weighed down by poor performance from the line, making 9-of-18 (50 percent). Ginebra didn't do any better, though, at 8-of-18 (44.4 percent).

 

Meralco led 9-2 in turnover points, offsetting Ginebra's 10-3 advantage in second-chance points.

 

Jared Dillinger paced the Bolts with 16 points. Reynel Hugnatan added 13 poins and seven rebounds, while John Wilson offered 12 points. - RAF, GMA News

The scores:

 

GINEBRA 83 - Slaughter 17, Aguilar 15, Baracael 14, Tenorio 13, Ellis 7, Caguioa 6, Urbiztondo 5, Reyes 3, Monfort 2, Helterbrand 1, Mamaril 0.

 

MERALCO 82 - Dillinger 16, Hugnatan 13, Wilson 12, David 9, Cortez 8, Caram 6, Sena 6, Allado 6, Guevarra 3, Hodge 3, Al-Hussaini 0.

 

Quarters: 27-22, 40-40, 59-60, 83-82