Layout by: Clarisse Garcia
Published by: Patrick Lance Guerra
Date Published: March 7, 2025
Time Published: 6:00 PM
Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, known as the Gin Kings, moved one step closer to another Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Commissioner’s Cup Finals appearance after a dominant 119-106 victory over the NorthPort Batang Pier in Game 2 of their best-of-seven semifinals series on Friday, February 28, at Philsports Arena.
Led by Japeth Aguilar’s 31-point explosion and Jamie Malonzo’s all-around play, the Gin Kings built a commanding 35-point lead at one point, completely dismantling NorthPort’s confidence. Now up 2-0 in the series, Ginebra looks to tighten its grip with another win in Game 3 on Sunday.
From the opening tip, Ginebra wasted no time imposing its will. Aguilar and Malonzo spearheaded a scorching first-half run, giving their team a comfortable cushion early. The Kings also clamped down on NorthPort’s key players, limiting Arvin Tolentino, Joshua Munzon, and import Kadeem Jack with relentless defense.
NorthPort, however, showed resilience in the second half, trimming the deficit to a more respectable margin. William Navarro led their fightback with 23 points, 12 rebounds, and four assists, while Jack managed to finish with 27 points and 10 boards despite early struggles.
Ginebra head coach Tim Cone remains cautious despite the team’s dominant performances, knowing that complacency could shift momentum.
“We really felt that we had to come into Game 2 with a disciplined approach. We can’t afford to step back and let them regain confidence," Cone said.
Adding to Ginebra’s depth was the return of Jeremiah Gray, who saw action for the first time since suffering a knee injury in 2023. Gray contributed six points in nine minutes, a promising sign for the Kings moving forward.
With a chance to take a commanding 3-0 lead on Sunday at Smart Araneta Coliseum, Ginebra will look to keep its foot on the gas and avoid giving NorthPort any hope of a comeback.
Game 3 of the semifinals is set for March 3, where the Batang Pier will fight to keep their season alive.
REFERENCES:
Caramoan, M. A. (2025, February 28). Ginebra dominates NorthPort and TNT holds off Rain or Shine in PBA Commissioners Cup semis - ESPN. ESPN.com. http://tv5.espn.com/basketball/pba/story/_/id/44055039/ginebra-dominates-northport-tnt-edges-rain-shine-pba-commissioners-cup-semis
Terrado, J. (2025, March 1). PBA: Ginebra takes confidence of NorthPort away for 2-0 lead. INQUIRER.net. https://sports.inquirer.net/610289/pba-ginebra-takes-confidence-of-northport-away-for-2-0-lead
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