Overpowering the San Miguel Beermen in high-scoring battle the last two games, the Kings kept their domination of their embattled rivals in a close encounter last night, pulling off a 94-82 win to move into the threshold of the Talk n Text PBA Philippine Cup championship.
Back court tandem Mark Caguioa and Jayjay Helterbrand spearheaded the Ginebra charge before another huge crowd at the Araneta Coliseum, combining for 54 points as the Kings made it three in a row in the series, gaining two cracks at reclaiming the crown they lost to the Purefoods Chunkee Giants last year.
"So close yet so far. We’re almost there but not yet there. We need one more game and San Miguel will surely make us work hard for it," said Ginebra coach Jong Uichico.
"San Miguel won’t just give it to us. So we have to come out with our A-game. No time for complacency, no time to relax," Uichico added.
Caguioa and Helterbrand came through with sterling acts, outclassing their San Miguel counterparts to carry the Kings to the doorstep of the championship.
Helterbrand scored 10 of his 26 points in the third quarter as the Kings erected a pair of 14-point leads. Caguioa then took over in the final canto, firing eight of his game-high 28 to help clinch the win.
"We really need to bring out tremendous energy to win a game. Caguioa and Helterbrand did that tonight," said Uichico.
Rudy Hatfield and Sunday Salvacion also dished out significant numbers with the former logging 12 rebounds and 10 points and the latter chipping in 12 points, seven rebounds and two assists.
Better field-goal shooting and less turnovers also spelled a big difference for the Kings who were outrebounded by the Beermen, 52-57.
The Kings outmaneuvered the Beermen at crunch time with Caguioa delivering the biggest plays, including a drive off Danny Ildefonso giving Ginebra an 86-79 cushion with time down to 1:06.
Down by 11 at 73-84, the Beermen got back into the thick of things on back-to-back three-pointers by Lordy Tugade.
But the Kings just won’t be denied of the win to finally move ahead in the series.
They take their first shot at the coveted championship in Game Six at 7 p.m. tomorrow in the same venue.
Danny Seigle, despite a bruised calf, spearheaded San Miguel’s bid, tallying 24 points, seven rebounds and one assist.
LA Tenorio added a career-high 17 points, including a buzzer-beating trey that pushed San Miguel within four at 68-72 at the end of the third period.