PBA: Barangay Ginebra survives Blackwater scare to extend streak to four

Barangay Ginebra avoided a major upset against Blackwater, eking out a 115-108 win to keep rolling in the PBA Season 50 Commissioner's Cup on Friday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. 

The Gin Kings fell victim to a blazing 23-3 start by the Bossing to open the game, but they got their acts together only for Blackwater to make another run in the fourth. 

Nards Pinto and Troy Rosario, however, fired timely baskets to help Ginebra salvage a seven-point win and secure its fourth straight victory, bringing their record to 6-2, while the Bossing fell to 2-7. 

Ginebra survived an offensive outburst from Blackwater import Robert Upshaw with Justin Brownlee posting 21 points, nine rebounds, five assists, and two blocks while Scottie Thompson posted an all-around outing of 19 markers, nine boards, and seven dimes. 

Upshaw caught fire early on, dropping two consecutive four-pointers to fuel a 23-3 start before the Gin Kings caught up and took a 50-42 halftime lead. 

Stephen Holt and RJ Abarrientos buried a triple each to send Ginebra to a 106-100 lead in the fourth, but Upshaw and Sedrick Barefield sparked an 8-2 blast capped by a four-point bucket from the Season 49 second top overall pick, 110-108. 

But Pinto knocked down a massive triple before Rosario issued the dagger basket off a dish from Thompson. 

The loss spoiled a 43-point explosion from Upshaw, who also grabbed 14 rebounds and two assists as Blackwater fell short of replicating its 126-120 upset over San Miguel last Wednesday.

—Bea Micaller/JMB, GMA News