Turbo Chargers oust Kings, enter semis

Shell came out in full throttle despite a depleted lineup and the Turbo Chargers went on to overwhelm the Barangay Ginebra Kings, 106-87, and clinch the last slot in the PBA Governors Cup Final Four at the Philsports last night.

Coach Perry Ronquillo rotated only nine players, including Gerry Esplana, who played with a strained hamstring, but the Turbo Chargers still churned out a solid game throughout despite the absence of Benjie Paras and Dale Singson to win their do-or-die duel with the Kings.

The Turbo Chargers thus avenged their defeat to the Kings in their quarters matchup in the All-Filipino Cup, and gained the right to meet the San Miguel Beermen in the semifinals. The other semis tussle pits Sta. Lucia Realty and Pop Cola.

Working behind an efficient half-court game, the Turbo Chargers broke away in the second quarter and kept the Kings at bay the rest of the way to complete the Magic Four cast. The top four teams in the elims all made it to the semis.

The Kings saw the end of their campaign in the season. Despite missing the semis, the La Tondeña franchise, however, improved on its showing last year. Ginebra posted a 25-26 win-loss record this year compared to a 15-22 card the last time.

Esplana played well despite his injury although it was the duo of Rob Wainwright and Mike Hrabak who carried the fight for Shell with their explosive performances. Wainwright scored a career-high 30 points while Hrabak tallied 18 points.

"Ginebra gave us a big challenge but the boys stepped up. In the first game, they took out our advantage because I admit we’re not that prepared for the game," said Shell coach Perry Ronquillo, whose wards dropped a 75-97 decision in Game One.