Ginebra’s mainstays and fresh acquisitions showed great bonding and, together, taught the upstarts Welcoat Dragons neat lessons in hacking out an emphatic 102-69 victory in the opening game of the Talk n Text PBA Philippine Cup at the jampacked Big Dome.
The Kings worked like they’ve been together for quite sometime as they got off to a good start, took the half at 53-34 and kept commanding spreads up to the finish.
"We got a big winning margin but this could not be used as gauge to see where we are now," said new Ginebra coach Jong Uichico.
"It’s also unfair to Welcoat if this game is used as gauge. Bago pa sila sa liga with young players. Kinakapa pa nila ang PBA style of play," Uichico added.
Uichico started with Eric Menk, Mark Caguioa, Jayjay Helterbrand and new recruits Rudy Hatfield and Rafi Reavis who delivered right away, giving the Kings a 23-15 lead in the opening quarter.
Billy Mamaril, Sunday Salvacion, Rommel Adducul, Johnny Abarrientos and Mark Macapagal formed Ginebra’s second team, and the Kings led by as many as 21 points reduced to 19 on Junjun Cabatu’s buzzer-beating jumper to close out the first half.
Hatfield, returning from a self-imposed long sabbatical, wrought havoc right in the first half then said in a halftime TV interview that "I want nothing less than a championship." He had 13 points, seven rebounds and one assist in the first 24 minutes of play.
Caguioa led all scorers with 23 points with Hatfield adding 21, Menk chipping 12 and Mamaril contributing 11.
The Dragons showed some semblance of a fight in the third quarter behind veterans Denver Lopez and Rob Wainwright and rookies Froilan Baguion and JayR Reyes but the Kings were quick to scuttle Welcoat’s threat.
Ahead by 10 at 69-59 late in the third, the Kings worked on a torrid run to again erect leads of more than 20 points midway through the fourth quarter.
After Jayjay Helterbrand banged in a three-pointer from way out to give the Kings a 72-59 margin, Froilan Baguion had his own trey from midcourt at the buzzer that drew oohs and aahs from supporters of both teams.