PBA: Ginebra rallies past B-MEG, joins Talk 'N Text in semis

Niño Canaleta filled the void left by Mark Caguioa's absence as Barangay Ginebra stormed its way into the semifinals with a 93-84 triumph over B-MEG Friday night in the PBA Commissioner's Cup at the Cuneta Astrodome in Pasay City. A bleeding Caguioa left the game after falling hard on the floor in the third period. The Gin Kings now join defending champion Talk 'N Text in the semifinals while the Llamados will face Meralco in a best-of-three quarterfinals series that starts on Sunday at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum. Canaleta, who came off the bench, reinvigorated the Ginebra offense after the Kings trailed by 11 early in the second quarter. B-MEG import Denzel Bowles had back-to-back baskets to push the Llamados' lead to 11, 38-27. Canaleta then took over for Ginebra draining back-to-back three-pointers in the Kings' 13-5 run to trim B-MEG's lead to three, 43-40, at the half. B-MEG remained on top after the third, 68-64, but Ginebra answered with a 5-0 spurt to finally grab the lead. Rookie Dylan Ababou's three-pointer pushed the Kings on top, 69-68. Ginebra did not slow down after that and dropped a 16-7 blitz to enjoy an 85-76 lead with over three minutes left in the game. Import Jackson Vroman tallied 15 points and 15 rebounds to back up Canaleta's offensive outburst while Mike Cortez had 15 points, seven rebounds, eight assists, one steal and one block. James Yap scored 18 points to lead four other B-MEG players that finished in double figures. The two-time league Most Valuable Player shot 7-of-19 from the field and 1-of-6 from three-point range. Bowles was held to 12 points behind 3-of-12 shooting but had nine rebounds, three assists one steal and blocked four shots. Peter June Simon, Josh Urbiztondo and Yancy De Ocampo chipped in 11, 10 and 10 points apiece. — JVP, GMA News Scores: Ginebra 93—Canaleta 25, Vroman 15, Cortez 15, Ababou 9, Hatfield 8, Labagala 5, Caguioa 5, Wilson 4, Mamaril 4, Wilson, W. 2, Raymundo 1, Villanueva 0. B-MEG 84—Yap 18, Bowles 12, Simon 11, Urbiztondo 10, De Ocampo 10, Devance 9, Intal 6, Pingris 4, Barroca 2, Reavis 2, Acuna 0. Quarter scores: 17-27; 40-43; 64-68; 93-84.