Ginebra drubs Meralco for historic 800th win

by **Ginebra Tambayan** Mon Dec 05, 2011 4:12 pm

Ginebra drubs Meralco for historic 800th win

abs-cbnNEWS.com

Posted at 12/05/2011 2:32 PM | Updated as of 12/05/2011 2:32 PM

MANILA, Philippines - The Barangay
Ginebra Kings played a strong defensive game en route to an 81-71
victory over the Meralco Bolts to clinch their 800th win in franchise
history Sunday night at the Araneta Coliseum.

Ginebra held Meralco to only 27 first half points on their way to winning their third straight game.

Ginebra head coach Siot Tanquingcen downplayed the significance of
the game, saying, "We had a good weekend, but the mission is not yet
over."

"We still have to keep on fighting and keep on climbing," he added.

According to PBA.ph,
Ginebra is now at sixth place in the league standings with a 7-5 card,
while Meralco is now at 8-6. The Bolts are now out of the race for the
top two slots and the twice-to-beat edge.

"Things are falling into place, but we're still not there,"
Tanquingcen said. "The goal is not just to make the quarterfinals.
Kailangan maiwasan namin lumaban against a team with a twice-to-beat
advantage."

Sol Mercado and Mark Cardona had 22 and 16 points, respectively, but
no other Meralco player scored in double figures. The 71 points were
the lowest output of Meralco so far in the conference.

The Bolts shot only 32.5% from the field and were 5-of-20 from
behind the arc. Mercado missed 9 of his 11 three-point attempts in the
game.

Meanwhile, four Ginebra players had double-digit outputs, with Mike
Cortez scoring 14, Ronald Tubid and Mark Caguioa each having 13 points,
and Enrico Villanueva scoring 11 markers.

Cortez, Villanueva, Caguioa, Tubid and Willy Wilson engineered a
decisive 13-2 run late in the game that gave Ginebra a 79-66 lead with
just under 2 minutes remaining.

The scores:

GINEBRA 81- Cortez 14, Tubid 13, Caguioa 13, Villanueva 11, Canaleta 9, Wilson W. 6, Mamaril 6,
Intal 5, Lbagala 4, Wilson J. 0, Menk 0.

MERALCO 71 - Mercado 22, Cardona 16, Espinas 7, Macapagal 7, Isip 6, Yee 5, Hugnatan 4, Lanete 2,
Omolon 2, Ballesteros 0, Borboran 0, Taulava 0.

Quarters: 22-15, 36-27, 59-50, 81-71

Source: Abs-cbnnews.com