By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
The Barangay Ginebra San Miguel ended another PBA Philippine Cup game day with a convincing victory over the Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters, 102-92, on March 10, 2024, at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
With the win, Ginebra just ballooned its undefeated winning streak in the Philippine Cup with an impressive 2-0 win-loss record.
However, it wasn’t a walk in the park in the first quarter as the Fuel Masters’ scrappiness in getting the offensive rebounds helped them clinch a slim 24-23 advantage.
It was in the second quarter when the Gin Kings felt comfortable executing their game plan as they retook the lead heading into the second half.
Just when the Fuel Masters thought they could replicate their first-quarter performance, the Gin Kings hosted a much-needed scoring barrage to swell their cushion, capping off the third quarter with a commanding 32-19 offensive advantage.
Phoenix attempted to claw their way back and trimmed their deficit to 11 with six minutes remaining in the game.
Wary of a meltdown down the stretch, Ginebra head coach Tim Cone didn’t think twice and inserted his starting five lineup back into the ball game to protect their lead.
Jamie Malonzo had another stellar performance for the Gin Kings for the second straight game and finished the win with an all-around effort of 17 points, 10 rebounds, two assists, and a block.
Backstopping Malonzo was the trio of Stanley Pringle, Nards Pinto, and Christian Standhardinger who all chipped in 12 points each.
Despite the absence of premier floor general Scottie Thompson due to a back injury, Maverick Ahanmisi stepped up and added 13 points, nine rebounds, and four dimes.
Ginebra will seek to prolong its undefeated campaign in the Philippine Cup on March 15, 2024, as they challenge the Meralco Bolts in the second game of the doubleheader.
