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PBA: Ginebra overpowers Bay Area in Game 7 to rule Commissioner's Cup

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Camille B. Naredo, ABS-CBN News

<div class="embed-wrap"><figure data-feedback="fb:likes,fb:comments"><img alt="Justin Brownlee set the tone for Barangay Ginebra in Game 7. PBA Images." src="https://sa.kapamilya.com/absnews/abscbnnews/media/2023/life/01/15/pba-images1.jpg"/><figcaption>Justin Brownlee set the tone for Barangay Ginebra in Game 7. PBA Images.</figcaption></figure></div>BOCAUE -- (UPDATED) Barangay Ginebra put on a show for a mammoth crowd en route to securing the 2022 PBA Commissioner&#x27;s Cup championship, Sunday at the Philippine Arena in Bulacan.The Gin Kings fired on all cylinders in a stunning 114-99 victory over the Bay Area Dragons in the deciding game of the series, in the process claiming the franchise&#x27;s 15th PBA title.A record-breaking crowd of 54,589 fans trooped to the Bulacan venue to watch the do-or-die Game 7, a great majority of them rooting for Barangay Ginebra. The Gin Kings gave them a performance to remember, with newly-naturalized star Justin Brownlee leading the way.Now officially a Filipino citizen, Brownlee set the tone for the game by scoring 15 of his game-high 34 points in the first quarter. He also dished out 12 assists and grabbed eight rebounds in over 46 minutes of action. Reigning PBA Most Valuable Player Scottie Thompson put up 18 points, nine rebounds and four assists, while Christian Standhardinger added 12 points, 10 rebounds, and six dimes. Jamie Malonzo played his best game of the series when Ginebra needed it most, pouring in a 22-point, 17-rebound double-double to earn Player of the Game honors. Standhardinger went on to be named Finals MVP for his work on both ends of the floor throughout the seven-game series.&quot;It means the world,&quot; Brownlee said of their triumph, as he won his sixth championship as the Gin Kings&#x27; resident import. &quot;I&#x27;m glad we can do it in front of these beautiful fans … [Bay Area] kept fighting, but we had the fight in us, too.&quot;The Dragons weathered a fast start from Brownlee to trail by just six points, 27-21, after the opening quarter. But the Gin Kings poured it on in the second period, out-scoring Bay Area 34-18 to take complete control of the contest.Thompson and Japeth Aguilar each had 10 points in the pivotal second quarter, where Ginebra made 12 of 25 field goals and limited the Dragons to just 6-of-26 from the field. Aguilar put the punctuation on the dominant period for the Gin Kings as he beat the buzzer with a putback dunk that got the crowd on its feet.Aguilar&#x27;s slam dunk gave the Gin Kings a 61-39 lead at the break, and the Gin Kings stayed in control from there. <blockquote class="twitter-tweet">Japeth slams it on the follow to end the 2q at 6️⃣1️⃣ <a href="https://twitter.com/barangayginebra?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@barangayginebra</a> 3️⃣9️⃣ Bay Area<a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PBAGameTayoDito?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PBAGameTayoDito</a> <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/PBAFinals?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#PBAFinals</a> <a href="https://t.co/cLr4FlOHKl">pic.twitter.com/cLr4FlOHKl</a>— PBA (@pbaconnect) <a href="https://twitter.com/pbaconnect/status/1614579684486041606?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">January 15, 2023</a></blockquote><div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8" type="text/javascript"></script></div>The Ginebra lead ballooned to 28, 75-47, in the third quarter much to the delight of the capacity crowd at the stadium. Bay Area import Myles Powell tried to bring the Dragons back into the contest, doing his damage through repeated drives to the basket. The American guard helped Bay Area get within 18 points, 84-66, with still 2:48 left in the third off two free throws.But the Gin Kings were ready to answer. Thompson broke away for a layup that restored the lead to 20 points, and LA Tenorio knocked down back-to-back triples for a 95-68 spread that got the crowd going once more. The Dragons threatened anew in the fourth quarter, trimming the deficit to 13 points with still 3:44 to go after a split at the line by Hayden Blankley, 106-93. Fittingly, it was Brownlee who provided the response: the import converted a floater that sparked a 7-0 spurt that restored a 20-point lead, 113-93, with just 1:59 left.Thompson capped the run, controlling a loose ball and connecting on a runner that kept them in full control of the contest. &quot;[The players] got themselves ready. I wish I knew what we did to play so well today. Again, it couldn&#x27;t have happened without all the fans,&quot; said a giddy Tim Cone after he added a 25th PBA championship to his collection.Powell had 29 points on 9-of-22 shooting, but lost for the first time as Bay Area&#x27;s import. Blankley had 25 points and nine rebounds in a losing effort.The Dragons were looking to become the first guest team since Northern Cement in the Reinforced Conference to win a PBA championship, but found themselves slayed by the Gin Kings. The Scores:GINEBRA 114 -- Brownlee 34, Malonzo 22, Thompson 18, J. Aguilar 14, Standhardinger 12, Tenorio 10, Pringle 3, Gray 1, Pinto 0, Mariano 0.BAY AREA 99 -- Powell 29, Blankley 25, Liu 17, Lam 13, Yang 10, Zhu 5, Reid 0, Song 0, Ewing 0, Ju 0.Quarters: 27-21, 61-39, 95-74, 114-99.

Barangay Ginebra put on a show for a mammoth crowd en route to securing the 2022 PBA Commissioner's Cup championship, Sunday.

PBA: Ginebra overpowers Bay Area in Game 7 to rule Commissioner's Cup

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PBA: Ginebra overpowers Bay Area in Game 7 to rule Commissioner's Cup

Camille B. Naredo,

ABS-CBN News

Published January 15, 2023 08:30 PM PHT

|

Updated January 15, 2023 10:33 PM PHT

Read More:

basketball

PBA

PBA Commissioner's Cup

Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings

Bay Area Dragons

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