Gin Kings Cruise Past Giant Risers, Secure Quarterfinal Spot

Barangay Ginebra continued its strong midseason form, relying on a well-rounded attack and a solid finish to defeat Titan Ultra, 119-107, in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup on Sunday night at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.

Even without a fully recovered Japeth Aguilar—still nursing the effects of a tough fall in their previous game against Blackwater—the Gin Kings extended their winning streak to five games, improving to 7-2 and solidifying their place among the top teams in the standings.

The victory also secured Ginebra’s early ticket to the quarterfinals, joining Rain or Shine and NLEX as the first teams to clinch a spot. Ginebra now sits in a tie for second place with NLEX, both holding identical records.

“Now, we control our destiny heading into these last three games,” said head coach Tim Cone, as Ginebra gears up for a crucial stretch against Meralco, Rain or Shine, and TNT to close out the elimination round.

The Kings’ starters all contributed in double figures, with Justin Brownlee leading the charge with 35 points, nine rebounds, four assists, two blocks, and a steal in yet another all-around performance.

RJ Abarrientos provided a scoring spark, finishing with 25 points—24 of them in the first three quarters—helping Ginebra build a 16-point lead, 83-67, in the third.

Scottie Thompson nearly posted a triple-double, contributing 12 points, nine rebounds, nine assists, and three steals, while committing just one turnover in 36 minutes of play.

Troy Rosario continued his strong form, notching 12 points and 13 rebounds for his second consecutive double-double. Stephen Holt rounded out the balanced effort with 10 points.

“We’re just sticking to our system, and we know we need to finish strong in these last three games,” said Abarrientos.

For Titan Ultra, Joshua Munzon led the way with 20 points, six rebounds, and 10 assists, but his efforts weren’t enough to prevent a fourth straight loss. Titan Ultra now sits at 2-7.

Bryan Sajonia added 17 points, while import Michael Gilmore finished with 15 points and 10 rebounds. Fran Yu and Ato Ular chipped in 13 and 12 points, respectively, but the team couldn’t mount a successful comeback.