Kings fight like hell, tie series, 1-1

Despite injuries and everything, Barangay Ginebra is back in the thick of things.

Ginebra had three players greatly outdoing themselves, and the reigning champion squad tamed Red Bull, 112-103, to force a 1-all deadlock in their Gran Matador Brandy PBA Philippine Cup best-of-five quarterfinals showdown at the Araneta Coliseum last night.

Eric Menk bounced back strong from a poor 12-point game Wednesday as the 6-foot-6 Fil-Am behemoth tossed in a personal season high 35 points that went with 16 rebounds, two assists and one block in 38 minutes of action.

Mark Caguioa, the league scoring leader with an average of 27 points a game, topped his norm by four while rookie Mark Macapagal sustained his personal run of high-octane outings with 21 markers.

For the record, it was the first time in six years in an All-Filipino tourney that two teammates finished with at least 30 points each. Menk and Sonny Alvarado last made the feat in 2004 with the defunct Tanduay ballclub.

Ginebra coach Siot Tanquingcen later said the players’ faith in one another in this trying moment keyed the victory which they dedicated to San Miguel Corp. chairman Danding Cojuangco who is turning a year older today.

"With all the adversities, we could just go out there and go through the motion. But the players continue to play with their hearts out," said Tanquingcen.

"It’s about the players’ faith with one another. I guess believing and having faith are two different things. Iba yung naniniwala ka lang doon sa naniniwala ka at alam mo kaya niyong mag-trabaho at manalo," Tanquingcen added.

In a highly-physical contest marred by a couple of flagrant fouls, the Kings emerged triumphant as they made a big run in the third quarter and hung tough in the face of the Bulls’ fierce comeback bid in the final canto.

Macapagal and Caguioa sparkled for 30 points together in the third, masterminding a vicious assault that had the Kings padding a 52-50 halftime edge to 90-71 going into the payoff quarter.

The Kings broke the game open at 71-59 on a 19-7 tear to start the final half.

Macapagal banged in two charities on that run off a flagrant foul called on Topex Robinson which was vehemently questioned by the Red Bull bench.

In the first half, Junthy Valenzuella incurred his own flagrant foul by swinging an elbow to the face of Caguioa.

Red Bull got off to a strong start and led by 10 points once before slowing down towards the end of the first half.