Ginebra dominates San Miguel in Game 1 of Governors’ Cup semifinals
Barangay Ginebra San Miguel opened the PBA Season 49 Governors’ Cup semifinals in style, dismantling the San Miguel Beermen with a commanding 122-105 victory in Game 1 on Wednesday evening at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City.
Justin Brownlee ignited a third-quarter explosion, firing from all angles to propel the Gin Kings to a dominant win. Brownlee, the ever-reliable Ginebra import, caught fire from deep, scoring 20 of his 33 points in the third quarter alone. He shot a near-perfect 5-of-6 from the four-point area, adding eight rebounds, five assists, and a steal to his impressive stat line.
After a closely contested first half, with Ginebra holding a slim 63-58 lead at the break, Brownlee’s third-quarter barrage broke the game wide open. His back-to-back triples, followed by three four-pointers and a floater, saw the Gin Kings stretch their lead to as much as 28 points, leaving the Beermen scrambling for answers.
Stephen Holt provided strong support for Ginebra, delivering 30 points, eight rebounds, and four assists. Scottie Thompson flirted with a triple-double, contributing 10 points, 10 assists, six rebounds, and a steal, while RJ Abarrientos chipped in with 13 points and five dimes.
San Miguel, visibly weary from their quarterfinal Game 5 battle against Converge, struggled to keep pace, particularly in the third quarter where they were outscored 34-20.
EJ Onasike led the Beermen with 27 points, eight rebounds, and four assists, while June Mar Fajardo posted a 16-point, 16-rebound double-double. Marcio Lassiter added 18 points, 15 of which came from beyond the arc.
The Gin Kings, taking full advantage of their well-rested legs, never looked back after building a comfortable cushion, allowing Brownlee to sit out most of the fourth quarter as Ginebra cruised to the win.
Game 2 of the best-of-seven semifinal series is set for Friday, October 11, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City. With momentum on their side, Ginebra will look to push San Miguel further to the brink, while the Beermen seek to regroup and even the series.
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