source: gmanews.tv
Barangay Ginebra import Curtis Stinson registered the first triple-double in the PBA Governors Cup in leading the Gin Kings to a lopsided 97-81 win over Meralco Friday night at the Araneta Coliseum.
The 6-foot-2 Stinson showed why he's the reigning NBA D-League MVP coming through with an all-around game of 18 points, 11 rebounds and a conference high 16 assists in the win that raised the Kings' record to 1-1.
Ginebra's locals readily backed Stinson with Mark Caguioa finishing with a game-high 25 points, while Ronald Tubid and Erik Menk tossed in 17 and 16 each.
Caguioa nailed crucial baskets down the stretch especially at the height of the Bolts' sizzling endgame rally.
Trailing by as many as 13 points in the first half, the Bolts came to within 75-79 with still eight minutes to go in the game.
But Caguioa's timely hits kept the Bolts at bay. His jumper in the two-minute mark gave the Kings an 11-point lead to finally silence Meralco.
The Bolts lost for the first time after winning their first two matches as they yielded the solo lead to sister-team Talk 'N Text (2-0).
Sol Mercado paced Meralco with 22 points, while import Champ Oguchi added 19.
Ginebra's Erick Rodriguez meanwhile, is likely to face a one-game suspension after committing a Flagrant Foul 2 on Gabby Espinas with 6:44 left in the second period.
Espinas hit both free throws to trim Ginebra's lead to 36-30. - JVP, GMA News
The scores:
Ginebra 97 - Caguioa 25, Stinson 18, Tubid 17, Menk 16, De Ocampo 6, Wilson W. 5, Miller 5, Intal 3,
Wilson J. 2, Rodriguez 0, Cortez 0.
Meralco 81 - Mercado 22, Oguchi 19, Taulava 11, Espinas 9, Isip 8, Omolon 6, Hugnatan 4, Ritualo 2,
Weinstein 0, Aljamal 0.
Quarters: 31-18, 53-40, 72-65, 97-81
