Ginebra draws first blood in finals rematch vs Meralco

Justin Brownlee of Barangay Ginebra shoots the ball in Game 1 of the Governors' Cup finals. Photo by PBA Images

Japeth Aguilar made a clutch block against Meralco import Allen Durham to give Barangay Ginebra a 91-87 victory in Game 1 of the PBA Governors' Cup finals on Tuesday at the Araneta Coliseum.

The Bolts controlled the game for three quarters, but the Kings rallied twice in the final period to draw first blood in the best of seven series.

Justin Brownlee had a monster performance of 38 points and 16 rebounds, while Aguilar added 16 points and six boards. LA Tenorio and Stanley Pringle also combined for 24 points as the starters carried Ginebra.

Meralco relied on the trio of Allen Durham, Chris Newsome and Raymond Almazan, who scored 25, 24, and 20 points respectively.

The Bolts held a 63-53 cushion with 4:39 left in the third, but the Kings began chipping away at the lead towards the end of the frame.

Aguilar's back to back baskets early in the fourth put Ginebra in the driver's seat, leading 74-73. They would stretch the lead to seven, but Meralco made their own push to take the lead again, 87-86, with 1:22 remaining off free throws from Durham.

It would be the last time the last time the Bolts would score as the Kings snatched the lead again with Brownlee and Pringle at the charity stripe.

Down by only one possession at 89-87 with 18 seconds left, Durham would try to tie the game but Aguilar knocked the ball away. Brownlee then iced the game with free throws.

This is Ginebra and Meralco's third meeting in the finals. The Kings beat the Bolts in 2016 and 2017.

—MGP, GMA News