LUCENA - Barangay Ginebra dished out an impeccable game and tore apart Meralco, 102-87, at the start of the PBA Governors Cup best-of-seven title playoff at the Quezon Convention Center here Friday night.
The Kings imposed themselves on both ends of the court, and from inside and out, bludgeoning a Meralco side that's aching for revenge from their finals loss the last time.
But Justin Browlee and his teammates picked up from where they left off the last time, seizing the head start in the series that shifts over to the Smart Araneta Coliseum for Game Two on Sunday.
Brownlee churned out solid all-around numbers while Greg Slaughter, Japeth Aguilar, LA Tenorio and Kevin Ferrer had significant stats of their own to give Ginebra a magnificent start in the series.
The Bolts groped for form most of the way, and would be the ones that would have a lonely trip back to Manila.
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Brownlee upstaged Allen Durham, with the Ginebra import collecting 32 points, 19 rebounds and six assists against the latter's 27 markers, 14 boards and eight assists.
Things became easier for Ginebra with Slaughter, Aguilar, Tenorio, Ferrer, Joe Devance, Scottie Thompson and Sol Mercado doing their jobs.
Slaughter and Japeth Aguilar dominated at the post, Ferrer sizzled from the quartercourt while Tenorio brilliantly quarterbacked for the team.
Devance played tough defense on Durham while Mercado and Thompson provided help at the backcourt as the Kings turned to a lopsided game what was expected to be a toe-to-toe showdown.
Hitting their shots from afar and on attacks to the baskets, the Kings seized control early and kept the Bolts on the trail to the finish.
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From an early 17-point deficit, the Bolts actually waged an effort to trim the gap to four, 71-75, towards the end of the third, but the Kings went roaring again in the payoff period.
Brownlee waxed hottest at the start of the fourth, leading the way in a 19-4 tear that broke the back of the Bolts.
The Kings enjoyed an early double-digit spread at 29-18 which they stretched to 17, 40-23, before taking the half at 49-35.
Brownlee had had double-double numbers at the half with 13 points and 11 rebounds.
The Ginebra second-string players -- Slaughter, Ferrer and Mark Caguioa -- themselves came out firing, teaming up with Brownlee in the onslaught that opened their 17-point lead.
Ferrer knocked in two triples while Durham scored a jam off Newsome to highlight the bristling run that sent their throng to early chants of "GI-NE-BRA! GI-NE-BRA!"
Ginebra took control right in the opening quarter on a 13-of-21 shooting (61 percent) as against Meralco's 8-of-24 clip (33 percent).
The Bolts were able to taste the lead only at 2-0 and at 12-11.
