The resurgent Barangay Ginebra crushed Alaska Milk, 105-86, in a game that, for all intents and purposes, was over by the third quarter.
The Gin Kings simply sustained their hot romp and foiled the Aces' shot at an outright second-place finish in the PBA Commissioner's Cup elimination round at the Smart Araneta Coliseum Sunday.
Winner in their last three games over NLEX, Magnolia and Columbian Dyip by an average margin of 19.6 points, the Kings kept their superb form and moved up to joint sixth place with the GlobalPort Batang Pier at 5-5.
The Aces, meanwhile, were further stalled at second place at 7-3 following a second straight loss.
Coach Alex Compton and his chargers have their last shot at an outright No. 2 finish versus Phoenix Fuel on July 6 at the Cuneta Astrodome.
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On the same day, Ginebra and GlobalPort clash in a virtual playoff for an outright quarters entry - or even a place in the Top Six.
"We're really in the groove. I don't know why. It's working, and I wish I know what it is so we can continue to do it. But we're not yet out of the woods," said Ginebra coach Tim Cone.
"We're on a roll. I'm not sure what we're doing but things are working together. But that's basketball. Suddenly, you'll be stopped on your tracks and you will struggle. It's a long tournament and I hope we can keep going," Cone also said.
Cone was heaping praises on his team just at the halftime break where they led by 25 at 63-38.
"At halftime, I told them I was shocked, was surprised by the first half," said Cone.
There was no stopping the Ginebra charge at the resumption of play. By the end of the third, some fans were already heading to the exit with the Kings enjoying a 32-point bulge at 90-58.
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Justin Brownlee had another sterling all-around performance with 28 points, nine rebounds and eight assists.
With support coming from a number of Ginebra locals, the Kings terribly tore the Aces apart.
The Aces simply had no answer to the Kings' explosive game that coach Alex Compton decided to just rest his top guns in the last quarter.
Still, Vic Manuel kept his run of 20-point games, stretching it to nine by pumping in four points in the opening quarter, six in the second and 10 in the third.
Jake Pascual was the only other Alaska player to finish in double figures, firing away 11 in the fourth quarter.(SB)
The scores:
Ginebra 105 - Brownlee 28, Tenorio 12, Aguilar J. 10, Mercado 10, Devance 7, Slaughter 7, Thompson 6, Caperal 6, Ferrer 6, Mariano 5, Chan 4, Aguilar R. 3, Cruz 1, Caguioa 0, Manuel 0.
Alaska 86 - Manuel 20, J. Pascual 11, Galliguez 7, R. Pascual 7, Banchero 6, Campbell 6, Potts 6, Casio 5, Enciso 4, Baclao 4, Cruz 4, Racal 3, Exciminiano 2, Magat 1, Thoss 0.
Quarters: 30-16, 63-38, 90-58, 105-86.
