MANILA, Philippines — Christian Standhardinger detonated for 36 points to tow Barangay Ginebra to the PBA Philippine Cup semifinals at the expense of the Magnolia Hotshots, 99-77, Saturday at the Rizal Memorial Coliseum in Manila.
Standhardinger made 16-of-23 field goal attempts a nd finished with a double-double of 36 points, 11 rebounds and five assists.
Mav Ahanmisi backstopped with 16 markers to go with six boards and three dimes.
Ginebra started the game on fire, leading by double digits as early as the first quarter.
The Hotshots were able to pull to within two, 30-32, in the second quarter, the Gin Kings ended the first half with a 20-4 run to go up big, 52-36.
Since then, Ginebra never looked back.
The lead grew to as much as 26 points, 99-73, with 48 ticks in the game with a layup by Jayson David.
All five starters finished in double figures. Japeth Aguilar had 12 points, while Ralph Cu and Scottie Thompson chipped in 11 each.
Mark Barroca led the charge for Magnolia with 19 points, eight assists and six rebounds.
The Gin Kings are now awaiting the winner of the best-of-three quarterfinal series between the Meralco Bolts and the NLEX Road Warriors. Meralco is holding the 1-0 advantage.
MANILA, Philippines — The surprising three-set loss against the Far Eastern University Lady Tamaraws in the UAAP wo men’s volleball Final Four served as a wake-up call for the National University Lady Bulldogs, head coach Norman Miguel said.
NU drew first blood in the best-of-three series against the University of Santo Tomas Golden Tigresses on Saturday in straight sets, 25-23, 25-20, 25-20.
Miguel, after the game, said the earlier upset against the fourth-seeded FEU squad lit the team up.
“When we lost in that Game 1 [against the Lady Tamaraws], it really served as a wake-up call for us,” he told reporters in Filipino.
“It was a wake-up call that we just can’t relax. We will lead to nowhere if we did not work for it,” he added.
Against the Tigresses, NU showed its might, unleashing 47 attack points and scoring seven markers off blocks.
The team also capitalized on the injury sustained by UST star Angeline Poyos, who went out of the game in the middle of the second set due to a sprained ankle. She did not return.
“Now, we are happy because things are working out. It was really a wake-up call.”
NU will try to recapture the championship they last won two seasons ago on Wednesday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Last season, they were dethroned by the La Salle Lady Spikers.
“That was actually our peptalk in the dugout before warming up, they already know how it feels to be in the finals. They know how it feels, so they know what to do,” the mentor said.
“They are familiar because they experienced [going to the finals] already.”