Gin Kings Stay Hot, Hold Off Fuel Masters for 2nd Win in 3 Nights

Barangay Ginebra extended their strong run with another impressive victory, overcoming Phoenix Super LPG, 109-96, on Sunday at the SMART Araneta Coliseum in the PBA Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup.

Just two days after a narrow 91-89 win over Magnolia, the Gin Kings showed resilience down the stretch to secure their second win in three nights, moving to 4-2 and into solo fourth place in the standings, behind Rain or Shine, Meralco, and NLEX.

Head coach Tim Cone acknowledged the challenge of the quick turnaround, noting that his team started slow but found their groove thanks to key contributions from the bench.

“Back-to-back games are tough,” Cone said, pointing out that Justin Brownlee struggled early with only nine points in the first half before heating up. “The key was the bench players stepping up and giving us the lift we needed, which allowed the starters to come in fresh and finish strong.”

Once fully engaged, Ginebra's main players took charge. Brownlee finished with 30 points, nine rebounds, and five assists, while RJ Abarrientos added 28 points, including seven three-pointers.

Scottie Thompson contributed 17 points, and Stephen Holt chipped in with 13 as the Gin Kings surged ahead in the final quarter after Phoenix made a brief push.

Phoenix, which dropped to 3-3 on the season, stayed competitive throughout, thanks to hot shooting from beyond the arc, finishing with 15-of-38 from deep.

James Dickey III nearly willed the Fuel Masters to victory, registering a monster all-around line of 21 points, 21 rebounds, and nine assists. However, his seven turnovers proved costly as Ginebra’s depth and a late-game surge proved too much to overcome.