After catching the Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters on a bad evening, coach Tim Cone gave credit to the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Gin Kings’ defense for pulling them through after catching the Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters on a bad evening, coach Tim Cone gave credit to the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Gin Kings’ defense for pulling them through.ugh.
The Fuel Masters are considered as the best scoring team inside the bubble of the Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup at the Angeles University Foundation Sports Arena and Cultural Center in Pampanga.
But, on Wednesday evening, the Gin Kings limited the Fuel Masters to less than 20 points per quarter for an 86-71 victory.
The Fuel Masters, who were coming off a 91-110 loss to the TNT Tropang Giga, struggled after going toe-to-toe with the Gin Kings in the first period.
Gin Kings’ coach Cone believes that the tough schedule of Phoenix is starting to show in their game.
“Right now Phoenix is going through theirs. We got them at a good time, a really good time. We were lucky,” said Cone.
Ginebra has gone up in the standings with their perfect 4-0 record while Phoenix has now lost back-to-back matches for a 2-2 card.
This put Ginebra in a share of the lead with the Tropang Giga.
Both teams will now have to be careful since they have a game almost every other day.
“Every team is gonna have their murderous part of their schedule. We’re gonna have ours. And Talk ‘N Text will have theirs. Everybody’s gonna have that time,” said Cone.
The Gin King were led by Stanley Pringle, with 20 points, while Prince Caperal delivered 14 points, 10 rebounds and five assists.
The Gin Kings were up 21 points after leaving behind the Fuel Masters at the end of the first period.
Ginebra shot 47 percent from the field, including 12-for-28 from the three-point arc, while limiting the potent Phoenix offense to just 37 percent.
And Ginebra’s triples came from the four shots that Pringle and Caperal each did from beyond the arc.
“We had an extra day off. We weren’t playing Talk ‘N Text. So as much as I like our defense tonight, I have to give an assist for Talk ‘N Text for wearing them out. But we’ll take it,” said Cone.
