PBA: Ginebra topples Air21, emerges as the sole undefeated team

(Updated 10:14pm) Barangay Ginebra San Miguel continues to turn heads after dispatching the Air21 Express on Tuesday at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum, 84-76, to remain undefeated in the 2014 PBA Governors' Cup.

Ginebra (3-0) is the only team in the conference without a loss, while Air21 (2-1) is tied for second with San Mig Coffee, San Miguel, and Alaska.

Zaccheus Mason tallied 22 points, nine rebounds, and five assists, making 8-of-10 from the field and hitting all his five free throws. Greg Slaughter chipped in 12 points, 15 rebounds, and four assists, while Japeth Aguilar tallied 10 points.

JJ Helterbrand was named Player of the Game, despite scoring just nine points on 3-of-10 shooting from the floor. However, his three three-pointers keyed momentous runs for Ginebra that helped them extract themselves from tonight's slugfest.

Coach Jeff Cariaso said it felt good to overcome their struggles in the first half and grind out a win in the latter quarters. "It's games like that that teach you the best lessons. They teach you to grow and get better. And even if we only grew half an inch tonight, we're happy," he said. "We were playing a very tough, hungry team. I'm just glad we were able to find a way to win."

Cariaso will get a crack at his former team and mentor in Tim Cone and the Mixers on Saturday. "It's gonna be exciting and a lot of people will be anticipating that game. I think we're gonna need the four days to prepare, we're going up against a champion team. Our hands are going to be full in all aspects," he said.

Though not for a lack of trying, the Express' locals couldn't make their shots in the first. Ginebra absorbed a scoring burst from Dominique Sutton, before their forwards picked apart Air21's defense with baskets at the rim during a 14-2 run. Down by six with two minutes to play however, Mac Cardona headed a 9-2 blitz for the Express to take a 17-16 lead by the end of the period.

Air21 was forcing a bunch of turnovers in the second, and Cardona scored six during a 10-4 run to extend his team’s lead, 27-20. JJ Helterbrand though made two triples to re-energize Ginebra, cutting the deficit to one with five minutes to play, 29-28. However, the Express still maintained their edge as Ginebra couldn't keep them out of the paint and finished the half ahead, 37-34.



Ginebra's defense was more engaged after the break and denied the Express the passes and shots they were earlier accustomed to. Ginebra leaned on Greg Slaughter in the low post, and got a couple of treys during a 13-2 run to nab a 54-48 lead midway through the period. Air21 was limited to just three field goals in the last five minutes and trailed 58-53 entering the final frame.

In the fourth, Ginebra was content to trade baskets with the Express. Air21 couldn't score without giving up a shot on the other end, though a pair of treys from Joseph Yeo and Aldrech Ramos cut the lead to five, 73-68, with four minutes to play. Ginebra point guard LA Tenorio however scored four straight to bring the lead back up to nine.

Asi Taulava was having a rough night until he fished an and-one with 1:33 to play, as Air21 closed to within 79-75. But after a Ginebra timeout, the Express gave up a basket inside to Zaccheus Mason. Taulava was fouled on the next possession, but split his charities. On the next Ginebra play, Slaughter nabbed an and-one off a put-back, 84-76, with under a minute remaining in the game to seal this game’s result.

Air21 shot 33-of-83 (39.8 percent) from the field, and a disastrous 6-of-22 (27.3 percent) from the charity stripe. Sutton and Taulava were responsible for 5-of-18.

Ginebra converted 30-of-71 (42.3 percent) from the floor and 18-of-25 (72 percent) from the line.

Dominique Sutton scored 22 points and 19 rebounds to lead the Express. Mac Cardona notched 15 points, while Joseph Yeo offered 11 points. - AMD, GMA News


The scores:

GINEBRA 84 - Mason 22, Slaughter 12, Aguilar 10, Helterbrand 9, Baracael 8, Tenorio 8, Caguioa 6, Reyes 4, Ellis 3, Monfort 2, Ababou 0

AIR21 76 - Sutton 22, Cardona 14, Yeo 11, Taulava 9, Borboran 7, Ramos 5, Burtscher 3, Atkins 3, Camson 2, Villanueva 0

Quarter scores: 16-17, 34-37, 58-53, 84-76