Barangay Ginebra picks up first win after downing Blackwater

Barangay Ginebra San Miguel picked up its first win of the PBA season after beating the Blackwater Bossing, 96-81, on Friday at the Ynares Arena in Pasig.

Stanley Pringle led the way with 19 points while LA Tenorio added 17, including five three-pointers, alongside seven assists.

They also got a big boost from their frontcourt with Prince Caperal posting 16 points and 11 rebounds and Christian Standhardinger added 11 markers and a game-high 19 rebounds.

Blackwater fought hard to stick close, coming back to within five, 86-81, with 3:22 remaining. But Ginebra closed out on a 10-0 run to seal the win.

With the win, Ginebra improved to 1-1 while Blackwater dropped a third consecutive game.

Ginebra looked it would cruise early, taking a 21-13 lead after the first and a 45-32 advantage at the half.

They were led by Caperal, who scored 12 points on perfect 6-for-6 shooting, and Japeth Aguilar, who had eight.

Mike Tolomia carried the team early in the third, scoring nine of his team’s first 13 points to keep the Bossing in the game.

That set the stage for a big Blackwater run late in the period as they went on a 9-0 run to come back to within five, 66-61.

Some key baskets from Paul Desiderio and KG Canaleta turned it into a two-point game, 69-67, to end the quarter.

Ginebra’s backcourt took over in the fourth, though, as Pringle scored six of the team’s first 10 points and Tenorio knocked down a couple of three-pointers to keep the team in front.

A big dunk from Aguilar made in a nine-point game, 86-77, before Kelly Nabong hit some free throws to make it a five-point spread, 86-81.

But Ginebra closed out strong after a basket from Pringle and a three-point play for Standhardinger, 91-81, with 2:06 remaining.

Another putback and-one from Standhardinger made it eight unanswered points for Ginebra and a comfortable 13-point lead, 94-81, in the endgame.

Caperal capped it with two more free throws in the final minute.

Tolomia led Blackwater with 22 points while Simon Enciso added 16, though he shot just 1-for-9 from three-point range.

The scores:
Baranagay Ginebra 96 – Pringle 19, Tenorio 17, Caperal 16, Aguilar 14, Thompson 11, Standhardinger 11, Chan 5, Dillinger 2, Devance 1, Ayaay 0, Enriquez 0.

Blackwater 81 – Tolomia 22, Enciso 16, Nabong 10, Magat 8, Daquioag 6, Desiderio 6, Amer 5, Paras 4, Canaleta 2, Semerad 2, Acuno 0, Dennison 0, Escoto 0, Gabriel 0, Torralba 0.

Quarterscores: 21-13, 45-32, 69-67, 96-81.

—JMB, GMA News