Gin Kings rout Beermen in SF Game 5
Brgy. Ginebra ignited an explosive performance from their backcourt duo, Scottie Thompson and rookie RJ Abarrientos, in a commanding 121-92 victory over San Miguel, propelling the Gin Kings to the brink of advancing to the PBA Governors Cup Finals.
Abarrientos showcased his skills with an impressive 28 points and 3 rebounds, while former league MVP Thompson contributed 22 points, leading the Kings to dismantle a struggling, error-prone Beermen team in Game 5 before a raucous crowd of 10,039 at the Ynares Center.
With this win, the Gin Kings reclaimed the lead in the best-of-seven semifinal series, now holding a 3-2 advantage. A victory in Game 6 on Sunday would secure their return to the finals of the season-opening conference.
Thompson was electric, scoring 18 of his total in the first quarter, rallying the Kings from a daunting 13-point deficit as the Beermen started the game on fire.
While Thompson spearheaded the offense, Japeth Aguilar and the timeless Joe Devance bolstered Ginebra’s defense, enabling the Kings to reverse their fortunes and take the lead by the end of the opening quarter, 34-33.
Justine Brownlee delivered a solid yet understated performance, finishing with 18 points, 9 rebounds, and 7 assists. Support came from Aguilar and Maverick Ahanmisi, who added 15 and 13 points, respectively.
The Gin Kings, who commanded a maximum lead of 121-90, demonstrated precision with just six turnovers—a playoff franchise low—while the Beermen struggled with 19 turnovers, allowing Ginebra to capitalize with a 21-7 advantage in fastbreak points.
Shooting at 54 percent from the field, Ginebra outperformed San Miguel, who managed only 44 percent.
For the Beermen, import EJ Anosike led the charge with 21 points, while Marcio Lassiter provided early support, contributing to their strong start in the first quarter.
Reigning MVP June Mar Fajardo recorded a double-double with 17 points and 18 rebounds, while CJ Perez chipped in 16 points. Lassiter made his mark by scoring eight of his 16 points in the opening quarter.