JOE DEVANCE became the second Barangay Ginebra player to bag the PBA Press Corps Player of the Week award after playing a huge role in the Barangay Ginebra Kings’ runaway 110-97 win over erstwhile unbeaten NLEX Road Warriors in their Governors’ Cup road game in Calasiao, Pangasinan last Saturday.
The 6-foot-7 Devance banged in 23 points behind nine-of-11 shooting from the floor, helping Ginebra take control of the third period on the way to its third straight win in the season-ending conference.
The left-handed Devance beat Ginebra teammates LA Tenorio, the first PBA Press Corps Player of the Week in the Governors’ Cup and Greg Slaughter, San Miguel Beer’s June Mar Fajardo, Star Hotshots big man Ian Sangalang, Meralco Bolts guard Chris Newsome as well as Blackwater Elite playmaker Mike DiGregorio for the weekly citation.
The Kings (3 wins, 1 loss) are now at solo fourth spot in the standings, behind league-leader Meralco (4-0), Star (3-0) and NLEX (4-1) heading into the week-long break to give way to Gilas’ FIBA Asia Cup campaign in Beirut, Lebanon.
The other teams include San Miguel Beer (2-1), TNT KaTropa (2-1), the Phoenix Petroleum Fuel Masters (2-3), the GlobalPort Batang Pier (1-2), the Blackwater Elite (1-3), Alaska Aces (0-4) and the Kia Picanto (0-5).
Devance was the first overall pick in the 2007 PBA Draft by the Welcoat Dragons (now Rain or Shine). He was traded for Sol Mercado and joined the Alaska in 2008. He then moved to the B-Meg Llamados (now Star Hotshots) in 2011. He transferred to Ginebra in 2015.
Coincidentally, Tim Cone was Devance’s coach in Alaska, B-Meg, Star and Ginebra.
Ginebra now takes a three-week break and won’t see action till Aug. 26 against Alaska.