Salvacion’s 3’s lift Ginebra past Coke in Philippine Cup

MANILA, Philippines – Sunday Salvacion lit up the scoreboard in the fourth quarter to help Barangay Ginebra beat Coca-Cola, 84-77, in Thursday’s game in the KFC PBA Philippine Cup at the Olivarez College Sports Center. Salvacion’s outside sniping, four straight for 12 points, in the final canto helped keep the Tigers at bay and secure the Kings’ third straight win. Coke rallied from 21 points down in the first half and threatened at 56-55, on a Ronjay Enrile three-pointer with 10:35 left in the game clock. Salvacion saved Ginebra from Coke’s fiery comeback firing two straight threes to make it 62-57 to keep Kings out of harms way, 9:42 in the clock. Salvacion killed Coca-Cola’s momentum in two more occasions, scoring a trey from a Ronald Tubid crosscourt pass, 67-62, 6:27 to go, then another one six seconds before the two-minute zone, 79-70. “I think both teams shot poorly in the first half," Ginebra coach Jong Uichico said. “Coke then made their shots in the second. But we sustained our defense and we hit big shots and that was how we kept our lead." Ginebra improved to an even 6-6 standing, forcing a five-way tie with Air 21, Rain or Shine, Sta. Lucia, and Talk N' Text. Coke fell to 5-8 mark. Bucking bad shooting from both camps, the Kings led by 21, 28-7, from a Ronald Tubid three-pointer, 7:07 left in the second quarter. Coke had a horrible shooting day and did not made a field for nearly 15 minutes before Asi Taulava converted on an inside basket, 4:27 left in the second period. Tubid topped all scorers with 22 points, 10 rebounds and three assists while Salvacion threw in 21 points on a 5-of-12 three-point shooting along with six rebounds. Mark Telan led Coke with 17 points while Taulava and Alex Cabagnot notched 16 and 13 markers. Ronjay Buenafe chipped in 10 more. – GMANews.TV