FINALLY, Barangay Ginebra came out on top of a close game.

And the Kings’ grizzled veterans are to thank for their 89-86 victory over the B-Meg Derby Ace
Llamados Sunday that gave them solo second-running spot in the PBA Philippine Cup before a crowd of
more than 14,000 at the Araneta Coliseum.

Ronald Tubid boomed in back-to-back triples that brought Ginebra back from a five-point deficit,
but it was the likes of Eric Menk, Rudy Hatfield and Willie Miller who took charge in the endgame
and took Ginebra home to its eighth win in 11 games.

“In the endgame you have to go to the veterans, kasi sila ang me mga experience,” simply
explained Ginebra coach Jong Uichico.

PJ Simon, who scored a gamehigh 26 points, drained a trey that pushed Derby Ace within 86-87, but
Miller kept Ginebra safely ahead by calmly sinking two charities that made it a three-point game,
9.5 ticks left.

With no more timeout, the Llamados were forced to go freestyle and Mark Caguioa gave them just 6.6
seconds for the final thrust with a foul. That almost backfired as James Yap managed to launch a
straightaway three-point try. But the shot proved to be a tad strong just before the final buzzer.

“Derby Ace is really a tough team to beat and it’s really good we came out with a win this
time,” Uichico said, adding he is really not aware where his team is in the leaderboard.

“Honestly, di ko natatandaan standing namin, whether we are in fifth, sixth or whatever. Ang
gusto ko lang, we keep on trying to win. We got through this game, now we have to get through our
next three games,” he stated.

The top two teams after the 14-game eliminations enjoy twice-to-beat advantages over the seventh-
and eighth-ranked squads and the Kings could be rewarded if they win their remaining assignments
against Powerade, Talk N Text and Rain or Shine.

The loss snapped the Llamados’ five-game streak although they still remained at fourth on an even
6-6 slate.

The Kings’ losses have been one-point ones, two to current leader San Miguel Beer, and this fact
was not lost on Uichico. “If we could have won at least one, it could have been different,” he
stated. “Pero okay na rin.”

Menk would not let a similar meltdown by canning four straight charities going into the last four
minutes, making it 85-81. He was far from done as his screen-and-roll play with Miller resulted in
his touch pass to the cutting Hatfield for a layup that pegged it at 87-83, only 56.9 ticks left.

Menk wound up with 20 points and seven rebounds with Mark Caguioa exploding for 10 of his 18 points
in the second half. Tubid and Millert finished with 12 apiece with Hatfield chipping in 11 points
and 12 boards.

Yap mainly struggled by going 5-for-18 from the field but still finished with 14 points, with
Jerwin Gaco, Roger Yap and Don Carlos Allado each adding 10 points each. Allado also forged the last
deadlock at 81 with a baseline jumper and his putback kept Derby Ace within 83-85, still 1:09 left.

Simon went into the game averaging 18.2 points per game and was well on track to surpassing that by
scattering 10 in the opening quarter alone, helping Derby Ace surge to a 20-12 spread.

Yet the game remained close as Tubid and Miller managed to keep Ginebra within striking distance,
before Mike Cortez and Miller led the Kings to a 62-all count going into the final period.

Simon’s triple and three-point play sandwiched a Yap trey during a 9-0 run, giving Derby Ace a
79-75 lead before Tubid launched a shotclock-beating triple from way beyond the arc and then turned
a Miller steal and pass into another bomb that heralded the Kings’ endgame charge.

The scores:

Ginebra 89 - Menk 20, Caguioa 18, Tubid 12, Miller 12, Hatfield 11, Cortez 9,Mamaril 4, Wilson 2,
Aquino 1, Villanueva 0, Helterbrand 0.

B-Meg Derby Ace 86 - Simon 26, Yap J. 14, Gaco 13, Yap R. 10, Allado 10, Maierhofer 4, Villanueva
3, Salvador 2, Canaleta 2, Pingris 2, Adducul 0.

Quarters: 21-22, 38-37, 62-62, 89-86