Jay R. Gotera Saudi Gazette MANILA — In a battle for survival, the Barangay Ginebra Kings proved to be the more determined team as they demolished the GlobalPort Batang Pier, 96-81, Saturday night in a PBA Commissioner's Cup road game at the Quezon Convention Center in Lucena City. The win snapped Ginebra's two-game losing streak as the Kings moved to solo sixth with a 5-5 win-loss card. The win greatly enhanced their chances of getting one of the top eight slots in the quarterfinals with one more game left in their elimination round schedule – against the Alaska Aces. GlobalPort suffered a third straight defeat and fell into a tie for eighth to 10th spot with Barako Bull and Kia with its 4-6 card. Import Michael Dunigan and Greg Slaughter led the Ginebra juggernaut with 22 points apiece. Dunigan added 18 rebounds and five blocks. Ginebra veteran Mark Caguioa was the first to spew fire for the Kings, scoring 11 of his 16 points in the first half, helping the Kings take a 19-point lead, 46-27, at halftime. A fully recharged Josh Urbiztondo came from sick bay and off the bench to add 11 points, including three triples, for the Kings. With the memory of their disastrous second half meltdown in their two previous games still fresh in their minds, the Kings made sure there would be no repeat of that as they continued pummeling the hapless Batang Pier in the second half. GlobalPort badly missed the services of top rookie Stanley Pringle, the Batang Pier's starting point guard who has been sidelined by an ankle injury. Things took a turn for the worse as GlobalPort's new import Derrick Caracter was whistled for three quick fouls in the first half, forcing coach Eric Gonzales to bench his team's biggest inside scoring threat. Top GlobalPort local gunner Terrence Romeo also missed numerous shots in the first half but still led his team with 20 points, with most of his shots taken during garbage time in the final quarter when Ginebra's victory was already a foregone conclusion. Caracter finished with 16 points and nine boards. Despite the loss, GlobalPort is still mathematically in the hunt for a quarterfinals berth if it wins its last elimination round game against San Miguel Beer Tuesday. Defending champion Purefoods (8-3), Rain or Shine (7-3), Talk N Text (7-3), Meralco (6-4), and NLEX (6-4), are already assured of a top five finish heading into the quarterfinals. Tournament format will have the top two teams at the end of the single-round eliminations earning a twice-to-beat edge against teams seeded in seventh and eighth spots, respectively. The third to sixth seeds will then play in a best-of-three series in the quarterfinals. The last four teams after the eliminations will drop out of the playoffs. Games Sunday: Rain or Shine Elasto Painters vs. Kia Carnival; Talk N Text Tropang Texters vs. Alaska Aces.
