PBA: Tenorio provides 'never say die' edge, lifts Ginebra to quarterfinals over TNT

(Updated 9:59pm) Third time was the charm for LA Tenorio and Barangay Ginebra San Miguel

After missing on two previous opportunities to formalize their entry into the 2013 PBA Governors' Cup quarterfinals, Ginebra was not about to let a third and final try slip away, booking their ticket to the postseason with a 110-102 win over the Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters, Tuesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

“Lahat ng players binigay nila yung 100 percent nila, yung effort, yung intensity nila,” said Ginebra head coach Ato Agustin.

The Texters had forced a do-or-die game against Ginebra with a 113-99 victory last Sunday, but after the match was pushed back a day because of rain, the Barangay hung on to their lead late in the face of a huge TNT rally.

As a result of the win, Ginebra advances to play the overall number one seed Petron Blaze Boosters, who are armed with a twice-to-beat advantage, on Thursday.

After leading by as much as 21 points, the Barangay weathered a second half rally from a resurgent Talk ‘N Text team led by their import Courtney Fells. Mark Caguioa was forced to the bench after picking up his sixth foul with 2:53 left, but Dior Lowhorn and LA Tenorio made crucial plays for the Kings to preserve their victory.

“Maganda yung result nung adjustment namin.  Maganda yung result nung zone,” Agustin said. “Pero nakapag-adjust rin sila sa zone defense naming kasi pumasok yung mga three-point shots nila. Pero sinwerte rin kami kasi nagmintis sila ng foul shots.”

With their lead down to three, Lowhorn made a layup as the shot clock expired, to make it 103-98. Tenorio then followed that up with five straight points, forging a 10-point buffer with only 63 seconds left in the game to book Ginebra’s entry to the quarterfinals.

Tenorio had 24 points, six rebounds and 10 assists in the game. He also scored the last seven points of the game for Ginebra. Lowhorn top-scored for his side with 31, while rookie Chris Ellis tied his career-high with 19 points. He also grabbed 12 rebounds. Caguioa chipped in 18 markers before fouling out of the game.

Two long shots opened the game for both teams as Dior Lowhorn sank a long two, which was quickly followed by a triple from Larry Fonacier.

After two TNT baskets, Japeth Aguilar made his return after missing six games due to injury, by making a layup at the 8:52 mark to trim Talk 'N Text's early lead to three at 7-4.

Ginebra built a 13-9 lead after a basket from Lowhorn and a triple from Chris Ellis. A conversion from Billy Mamaril at the 4:35 mark of the first stretched their lead to six.

The Barangay kept at it, building a double-digit cushion at 21-11 after four straight points from Mark Caguioa. By the end of the first quarter, the score was 26-15 in their favor.

Fonacier kept the Tropang Texters in the thick of things at the start of the second quarter. He made a deuce, followed by a triple at the 10:33 mark to trim Ginebra's lead down to seven at 28-21.

Baskets from Lowhorn quickly re-established a double-digit lead for Ginebra. They held it until Jimmy Alapag and Sean Anthony scored five straight to bring their deficit down to six at 37-31.

Two free throws from Ranidel de Ocampo with 3:49 left in the first half got TNT to within four points at 41-37. Luckily for the Barangay, Lowhorn's triple found the bottom of the net on the next possession for a seven-point lead. Ginebra continued to pour it on in the closing minutes of the second quarter, as they made it 50-37 at the 1:36 mark, after a floater from LA Tenorio. He also closed out the half by nailing a long three for a 57-41 count.

Lowhorn led all scorers at the half with 20 points. Tenorio and Caguioa backed him up with 10 points each.

Talk ‘N Text on the other hand relied heavily on Fonacier’s 14 points, but he was the only one who scored in double-digits. After the Gilas gunner, four Tropang Texters scored four points each, including their import Courtney Fells.

Ginebra scorched the net as they made 58.3 percent of their first-half field goals while TNT only managed a 35.7 percent clip.


BGSM heated up from outside at the start of the third quarter. Caguioa completed a four-point play at the 9:07 mark to give Ginebra a 19-point lead. Tenorio then found Lowhorn wide-open down low for a 21-point spread.

With things looking grim, Fells stepped up for Talk ‘N Text by scoring five straight points as part of a 7-0 run that sliced a third off Ginebra's lead, 70-56. After the two teams traded baskets, the Tropang Texters had a golden opportunity after Billy Mamaril was called for a flagrant foul penalty one at the 5:19 mark. Ali Peek made two free throws for an 81-68 count with TNT retaining possession. Harvey Carey then added a basket down low to get within 11 points of Ginebra

A fast break dunk from Ellis gave the Kings a 15-point lead but back-to-back triples from Fells and Alapag got the Tropang Texters to within nine at 85-76. Ellis made a long jumper to re-establish a double-digit lead, but Fells punctuated his big third quarter by slamming one home for an 87-78 tally in favor of Ginebra, heading into the last quarter of the game, also the last quarter for the losing team in the Governors’ Cup.

After only scoring four points in the first half, Fells exploded for 19 points in the third quarter to bring TNT back into the game. He shot 5-of-5 from three, and added two huge dunks.

Fonacier opened the fourth by swishing a three to cut the Ginebra lead down to six points, but Ellis continued his brilliant performance by getting a rebound off his own miss and sinking two free throws after getting a foul.

The Tropang Texters didn’t help themselves by as they were called for their fifth team foul with still more than nine minutes left in the fourth. They also allowed Ginebra to get multiple looks at the basket with a bunch of offensive rebounds.

Caguioa re-established a double-digit lead, 98-88, for Ginebra at the 6:14 mark with a layup. However, the Tropang Texters refused to give up. A layup from Castro and a triple from Fonacier cut Ginebra’s lead in half at 99-94 with still 5:09 remaining in the game.

Fonacier got Caguioa’s sixth foul at the 2:53 mark of the fourth. He then stepped in to make one of two free throws to cut Ginebra’s lead down to three at 101-98. Lowhorn then made an important layup as the shot clock expired to bring their lead up to five. After completing a stop on the other end, the Ginebra added distance between the two teams as Tenorio made two free throws.

“Medyo mayabang pero ang sabi ko kay Mark, ‘Sige, ako na bahala,’” admitted Tenorio after the game. “It’s about time na mag-take charge ako parang last conference nung nawala si Mark. Yung last conference nagawa naming umabot sa Finals without him pero ngayon two minutes lang siya nawala.”

Fonacier had a career game with 31 points while their import Fells scored 26. Castro added 14 points to their cause but De Ocampo and Alapag combined for only 14 points in the game.

The Tropang Texter struggled to contain Lowhorn with Ali Peek and Sean Anthony, Lowhorn’s primary defenders, getting five fouls each in the game.

After playing their second game in three days, Ginebra will only rest for one day before they battle Petron.

“Playoffs na e. Lahat na ibibigay na naming kasi sanay naming kami dito,” Tenorio said.  - AMD, GMA News


The scores:

Ginebra 110 - Lowhorn 31, Tenerio 24, Ellis 19, Caguioa 18, Mamaril 8, Wilson 4, Baracael 2, Aguilar 2, Helterbrand 2, Urbiztondo 0, Maierhofer 0

Talk 'N Text 102 - Fonacier 31, Fells 26, Castro 14, De Ocampo 8, Alapag 6, Ferriols 4, Carey 4, Peek 4, Anthony 2, Aban 2, Al-Hussaini 1, Reyes 0

Quarter scoring: 26-15, 57-41, 87-78, 110-102