PBA: Streaking Ginebra routs out-of-sync Red Bull

MANILA, Philippines – Barangay Ginebra started out like a house on fire and coasted to a 108-82 rout of Red Bull last night for a 1-0 lead in their Smart-PBA Fiesta Conference semifinals series. Jayjay Helterbrand sparked the Kings’ offensive assault, scoring 10 of the team’s first 12 points for an early 12-2 Ginebra lead three minutes into Game 1 of the best-of-seven affair at the jampacked Astrodome. The bouncy Ginebra guard connected on two three-pointers, a break away lay up and an 18-footer during that brief scoring run. He topscored with 16 points (7-of-19) and issued 10 assists. The Bulls, coming off a two-week break after clinching an outright Final Four berth as the no. 2 seeded team at the end of the season-ending conference’s qualification phase, appeared to have been caught flat-footed by the Kings’ fast start and never recovered their bearings the rest of the way. Now on a nine-game winning run dating back to the eliminations, Ginebra tries to extend their streak when it guns for a repeat in Game 2 on Wednesday at the Araneta Coliseum. Hurt by numerous turnovers, the hamstring pull suffered by import Adam Parada made matter even worst for the Bulls as the towering 7-foot import was held scoreless in the first half at a time the Kings were trying to rip the game apart. The 26-year-old reinforcement eventually finished with only six points, his worst scoring output in the season-ending conference. Jojo Duncil, Leo Najorda and Cyrus Baguio valiantly tried to make a game out of it, rallying the Bulls to as much as a 21-point first half deficit, but could not get Red Bull closer than nine points. The Kings would eventually stretched the lead to 22 entering the payoff period, and to its biggest at 85-60 with seven minutes remaining. – GMANews.TV