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PBA Finals Quick Hits: Solid Backcourt Play Lifts Bay Area in Game 4

George Sta. Ana
January 6, 2023

An import-less Bay Area side leaned on their reliable backcourt to turn back Ginebra in Game 4 of the 2022 PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals.

Playing without the injured Andrew Nicholson, the Bay Area Dragons still emerged triumphant in Game 4 of the 2022 PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals, edging out Barangay Ginebra, 94-86. Kobey Lam put up a masterclass from downtown, drilling eight treys on his way to a game-high 30 markers. The Dragons also drew 18 points apiece from Glen Yang and Zhu Songwei, tying the Finals series at two wins each.

Top Performers

Justin Brownlee

23 points, 13 rebounds, 11 assists, 4 steals
Kobey Lam

30 points, 9 points, 4 assists, 8-14 3PT

Kobey does it for the Dragons

Spearheaded by Kobey Lam’s 30-point night, Bay Area found success with their backcourt play all game long. Lam and point guard Glen Yang set the tone for the Dragons’ offense, combining for 14 of the team’s 19 total points in the first period. It was in the clutch that Lam grabbed the spotlight, hitting deep threes and turnaround jumpers at a high level of difficulty.

The two starting guards for Bay Area finished the game with a combined output of 48 points, 13 rebounds, 8 assists, and just a single turnover. Solid backcourt play, along with another excellent all-around game from Zhu Songwei, helped the Nicholson-less Dragons pull off the Game 4 upset victory over the Gin Kings.

Other Takeaways:

After putting up more three-point attempts than two's in the first two quarters, Bay Area found more success penetrating Ginebra's defense in the second half. Zhu Songwei was a key part of that action, as he constantly beat his man off the dribble, creating easier scoring opportunities for his teammates.
Crashing the offensive glass also brought life to Bay Area's offense in the second half. The Dragons had 15 offensive rebounds in Game 4, resulting into 21 second chance points.
Justin Brownlee's triple-double headlined a Ginebra offense that unfortunately lost its groove in that pivotal third quarter. One bright spot though is Japeth Aguilar seemingly regaining his form, particularly on offense. He had two huge dunks in the fourth quarter, and went 8-of-8 from the free throw line. Japeth is still needed the most on defense, but this slight offensive spark could turn things around for him heading into Game 5.