Christian Standhardinger and Jamie Malonzo poured in stellar performances in Ginebra’s big win against Blackwater.
Standhardinger, Ginebra get going on offense
Behind efficient performances from Christian Standhardinger and Jamie Malonzo, Barangay Ginebra ended their two-game skid with a 119-93 win over the Blackwater Bossing. Standhardinger imposed his presence down low, pouring in a game-high 27 points on 11-of-16 shooting. Malonzo hit five treys on his way to a 25-point outing, while Ginebra import Justin Brownlee added 22 points, 10 rebounds, and 5 assists.
Ginebra climbs to a 4-2 record, while Blackwater drops to a 1-7 slate. With only three more games left on their schedule, Blackwater’s chances of making the playoffs have slimmed even more.
Main Takeaways
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Ginebra couldn't ask for a better offensive performance than what they did against Blackwater on Sunday. They compiled 33 assists as a team and shot 61% from the field, including an excellent 55% from the three-point line.
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Jamie Malonzo missed only one of his six attempts from beyond the arc, showcasing his ability to space the floor when he's on the groove. Malonzo came in as a 35% three-point shooter (5.2 3PA) prior to the Blackwater contest. If he could get into a more consistent streak, his shooting could alter how defenses play Ginebra.
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Having averaged 23.3 points on a 51% field goal clip before temporarily getting replaced by Troy Williams, Shawn Glover struggled in his first game back as Blackwater's import. Glover finished with only 14 points on 6-of-19 shooting in the loss to Ginebra.
TNT takes solo lead
It was a nip-and-tuck battle, but a buzzer-beating putback from Calvin Oftana lifted the TNT Tropang Giga to a 105-103 victory over the San Miguel Beermen. Oftana finished with an all-around outing of 14 points, 10 boards, and 6 assists, joining forces with Jayson Castro’s 21 markers to lead TNT’s second unit.
Cameron Clark and CJ Perez combined for 55 points for the Beermen, who now hold a 7-2 record. Meanwhile, the Tropang Giga take solo lead in the standings with an impressive 8-1 slate.
Main Takeaways
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The 36-year-old Jayson Castro is still reliable when needed. He contributed 16 points in the win against Meralco when RR Pogoy went down with an ankle injury. Another ankle injury forced Mikey Williams to an early exit in Sunday's game, and Castro again stepped up to the plate. Castro finished with a team-high 21 markers and eight assists in the win against SMB.
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Rondae Hollis-Jefferson only shot 25% from the field, but his impact was felt on both ends of the floor. He put on a string of good defensive plays in the clutch, led the game in rebounds, and had four defensive stocks to his name.
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After shooting 1-of-23 from three in their previous win against Ginebra, SMB had another rough night from long-range. The Beermen only hit four of their 23 three-point attempts against the Tropang Giga.
