BOCAUE -- Barangay Ginebra simply lived up to its billing as among the title contenders, fashioning out a 90-79 win over TNT KaTropa in the kickoff of the 44th PBA season before a crowd over nearly 24,000 at the Philippine Arena here Sunday night.
The Gin Kings used their size advantage to the hilt, beating the Texters' quickness and shooting to win the opening match in the season ushered in by one of the best season inaugurals ever seen in the local pro league.
Tipped as the best team that could best challenge San Miguel Beer in its all-Filipino five-peat bid, the Kings played to expectation and dominated a TNT side handicapped by injuries to Troy Rosario and Yousef Taha.
It was a complete domination except for a good run that the Texters were able to unleash in the third quarter.
Some fans started to troop to the exit as the Kings led by 17 at 90-73 with a little over two minutes left to play.
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Greg Slaughter, Japeth Aguilar, Aljon Mariano, LA Tenorio and Scottie Thompson formed the starting unit that got the team storming out of the starting gate, and the Kings held on to the lead all the way to the finish.
And Slaughter and Aguilar were even on the bench when the Kings put the game away for good in the fourth.
Aguilar had had 15 points on 6-of-9 field shooting and 2-of-4 charities as the Kings led 49-42 at halftime.
The Kings started strong, taking the opening quarter at 28-15 and leading by as many as 18 at 44-26 before settling for that seven-point margin at the turn.
Don Trollano and RR Pogoy combined for four three-pointers and a total of 24 markers in the first 24 minutes of the match.
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The Texters tried their luck very much from the long court and doubled down low on defense in a bid to keep up with the Kings.
TNT twice came to within two points but Ginebra stayed in the lead, 63-57, going to the final canto.(SB)
The scores:
Ginebra 90 - Aguilar J. 21, Slaughter 15, Mercado 11, Thompson 9, Ferrer 9, Mariano 6, Devance 5, Tenorio 5, Teodoro 4, Cruz 3, Caperal 2, Aguilar R. 0.
TNT 79 - Pogoy 20, Castro 17, Trollano 15, Heruela 14, Reyes 6, Cruz 4, Williams 2, Golla 0, Semerad D. 0, Miranda 0, Carey 0.
Quarters: 28-15, 49-42, 63-57, 90-79.
