Barangay Ginebra blew a big lead but came back to defeat Phoenix, 102-93, for a crucial victory on Sunday in the PBA Philippine Cup on Sunday at University of Santo Tomas Quadricentennial Pavilion.
RJ Abarrientos tied the game with a three, Troy Rosario scored a go-ahead basket and Stephen Holt knocked down a triple as the Gin Kings turned a 91-88 deficit into a 96-91 lead, less than a minute remaining to secure an important result.
Ginebra improved to 3-4 for a tie with Meralco at seventh spot going into the Fiba break.
The crowd favorites bounced back from a 106-96 loss to the Converge FiberXers two nights earlier.
Abarrientos scored 25 points, Scottie Thompson had 19 points, 10 rebounds, six assists and three steals while Holt added 17 points, nine rebounds and three assists for Ginebra.
Phoenix fell to 2-6 for a share of ninth spot with Titan Ultra, which earlier lost to NLEX in the opener.
The loss spoiled a huge performance from Prince Rivero, who scored 28 points and was mainly responsible for overhauling Ginebra’s 18-point lead.
Rivero and Jason Perkins were able to put the Fuel Masters up by eight in the fourth, and it appeared that the Gin Kings would falter yet again.
But Ginebra turned things around from an 85-77 margin behind Abarrientos, Rosario and Thompson.