Ginebra takes lead with game 3 win
abs-cbnNEWS.com | 07/05/2009 9:38 PM
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MANILA - David Noel spearheaded Barangay Ginebra's uprising in the second half comeback to turn back the undermanned San Miguel Beer, 116-103, in Game 3 to grab a 2-1 lead in their best-of-seven championship series of the 2008-09 Motolite-PBA Fiesta Conference Finals Sunday night at the Araneta Coliseum.
Noel listed his second triple-double game of the conference with 32 points, 10 rebounds and 11 assists, to lead the Kings to the victory, which did not come easy as the Beermen played solidly even without forwards Marc Pingris and Danny Ildefonso.
Eric Menk added 16 markers for Ginebra, undeniably his best game since returning from an injury.
Ronald Tubid contributed 13 and together with Menk, they started the Kings' uprising at the start of the third period after trailing 48-61 at the start of the second half.
"I did not expect the way we play in the first half," said Ginebra head coach Jong Uichico, who also got 12 and 11 points from Cyrus Baguio and Sunday Salvacion in the game.
"We did not take advantage of the absence of Danny I and Pingris and they were dominating the game in the first half. Luckily, we were able to defend in the second half," he added.
Gabe Freeman paced the Beermen with 25 points and a game-high 19 rebounds. Anthony Washington added 22 but was held down to just four points in the final half.
"You can't win a game if you allow 68 points in one half," said San Miguel mentor Siot Tanquingcen.
"We shot ourselves on the foot. We have too many turnovers and it is not an excuse even if we don't have those two guys because we have players who can fill in what is needed," Tanquingcen added.
Ildefonso and Pinrgis were canned for one game each by the league for the post-game altercation with a fan in Game 3.
But their absence was hardly felt especially in the first half when the Beermen, behind Washington and Mike Cortez, took over for the team en route to a 13-point halftime lead.
Cortez's jumper gave San Miguel its last taste of the lead, 82-80, when the Kings started to waxed hot behind the three-point area and unloaded a momentum-swinging 16-5 run capped by Helterbrand's off-balance jumper for a 96-85 lead with 6:32 remaining.
Freeman tried to keep his team within the game and his back-to-back jumpers shoved the Beermen to 93-100, but Noel and Cyrus Baguio banged in a triple each to practically seal the win for the Kings, 106-93, a little over three minutes remaining.
Helterbrand was held down to a series low nine points but six came in the final quarter where Ginebra outscored the San Miguel, 40-25.
The Kings shot 50 percent from the field (39-of-78) and was 13-of-30 from the rainbow territory for 43.3 percent clip.
"We can't allow a team to shoot 40 percent from the three-point area," said Tanquingcen, whose wards shot a measly 6-of-22 from that area.
Dondon Hontiveros, who had 12 in the game, was 1-of-7 from the three-point zone. Mick Pennisi chipped in 10.
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