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Tag: RJ Abarrientos

  • RJ Abarrientos powers Barangay Ginebra San Miguel to a quarterfinal berth after a dominant win over Titan Ultra 

    RJ Abarrientos powers Barangay Ginebra San Miguel to a quarterfinal berth after a dominant win over Titan Ultra 

    For a team built on star power, it was the rising influence of RJ Abarrientos that defined Barangay Ginebra San Miguel’s latest breakthrough.


    Abarrientos came through with 25 points as the Gin Kings dismantled the Titan Ultra Giant Risers, 119-107, on Sunday, April 26 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum—stretching their winning streak to five and officially punching their ticket to the quarterfinals of the PBA Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup.

     

    While Justin Brownlee once again delivered the headlines with 35 points—his sixth 30-point performance of the conference, the game underscored how Ginebra’s success is increasingly tied to the contributions around him. Abarrientos provided the spark that kept the offense fluid and the pressure constant.

     

    “Yung chemistry namin, down the line ‘yung pinakaimportante. Sa practice pa lang, nag-dig in kami kung ano ‘yung pwede namin ma contribute sa team,” Abarrientos said.

     

    That chemistry has become the backbone of Ginebra’s surge. Scottie Thompson nearly tallied a triple-double with 12 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists, orchestrating the attack while doing the little things that kept the Gin Kings in control from start to finish.

     

    The win lifted Ginebra to 7-2, tying them for second place and making them the latest squad to secure a spot in the last eight alongside NLEX and Rain or Shine. More importantly, it reinforced their status as one of the hottest teams in the tournament heading into the final stretch of the eliminations.

     

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    “We needed this win. We needed to take care of business talaga,” Abarrientos added.

     

    For Ginebra, the job is far from over. The Gin Kings are set to face a challenging stretch against Meralco, Rain or Shine, and defending champion TNT—matchups that will test whether their current form can translate into sustained success against top-tier competition.

     

    Head coach Tim Cone is well aware of what lies ahead, emphasizing discipline and consistency as the team prepares for tougher battles.

     

    “We’re just trying to keep our habits going. We’re going to a stretch of three really tough games with Meralco, Rain or Shine, and Talk N’ Text but this is what we want to get to. If you don’t have proper habits against quality teams, you will not be successful. We’ve tried to keep our habits up,” the veteran coach said.

     

    On the other side, the loss deepened the struggles of Titan Ultra, which dropped to 2-7 and absorbed its fourth straight defeat. Despite a late push, the Giant Risers could not overcome their earlier miscues and Ginebra’s sustained offensive rhythm.

     

    Joshua Munzon led Titan Ultra with a 20-point, 10-assist double-double, adding six rebounds and five steals in an all-around effort. Import Michael Gilmore chipped in 15 points and 10 rebounds but committed six turnovers, a costly factor in the team’s total of 11.

     

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  • Justin Brownlee, Abarrientos rescue Ginebra as CJ Cansino helps Meralco regain footing in PBA Commissioner’s Cup

    Justin Brownlee, Abarrientos rescue Ginebra as CJ Cansino helps Meralco regain footing in PBA Commissioner’s Cup

    Justin Brownlee and RJ Abarrientos delivered when Barangay Ginebra needed them most, turning a sluggish start into a gutsy comeback that kept the Gin Kings moving in the right direction in the PBA Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup.

     

    Brownlee shook off a rough opening half and found his rhythm late, while Abarrientos stayed aggressive throughout as Ginebra erased a double-digit deficit and escaped with a 99-93 victory over Converge on Sunday night at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

     

    The win pushed the Gin Kings to 2-1 in the conference and highlighted a growing chemistry between their veteran import and rising local guard.

     

    Brownlee finished with 33 points, 10 rebounds, and four assists, overcoming his early struggles by taking command in the closing stretch. Abarrientos backed him up with a conference-high 32 points, along with four assists and three rebounds, giving Ginebra the offensive spark it badly needed.

     

    Troy Rosario quietly played a major role inside, posting a double-double of 10 points and 13 rebounds while helping stabilize the Gin Kings in a physical battle.

     

    For much of the first half and the early part of the third quarter, Converge looked poised to control the game.

     

    The FiberXers built a lead that reached 10 points and kept Ginebra on the back foot, forcing the Gin Kings to chase the pace. But once Brownlee and Abarrientos began attacking in rhythm, the game shifted.

     

    Back-to-back baskets from the duo, along with timely triples from Nard John Pinto, fueled the turnaround as Ginebra surged ahead, 81-74, after trailing for most of the night.

     

    The FiberXers answered with a run of their own and briefly reclaimed the lead, 93-92, threatening to spoil Ginebra’s comeback. But in the decisive moments, the Gin Kings were steadier.

     

    Rosario and Abarrientos calmly knocked down free throws, and Brownlee delivered the basket that finally gave Ginebra control for good.

     

    Converge leaned on a balanced attack in defeat, with Justine Baltazar leading the way with 20 points. Mikey Williams and MJ Garcia added 16 and 15 points, respectively, while Kylor Kelley turned in a double-double of 13 points and 15 rebounds.

     

    The loss dropped the FiberXers to 1-4 in the conference. Both teams entered the matchup undermanned.

     

    Ginebra played without Japeth Aguilar, Kemark Carino, and Jayson David, while Converge missed Juan Gomez de Liaño, Calvin Abueva, and Justin Arana.

     

     

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    Earlier in the day, Meralco made sure its response to a disappointing loss was immediate.

     

    After stumbling against an import-less Rain or Shine side last Friday, the Bolts came out sharper and more purposeful, rolling past Titan Ultra Giant Risers, 118-105, to improve to 3-1.

     

    CJ Cansino led the charge with 26 points, setting the tone for a Meralco side that looked determined to reestablish control from the opening quarter.

     

    Import Marvin Jones anchored the interior with 24 points and 14 rebounds, while Kier John Quinto added 15 points. Jason Brickman and Javee Mocon chipped in 13 and 11, respectively, as the Bolts showcased their depth.

     

    Meralco established its grip early, taking a 26-16 lead after one quarter before blowing the game open in the second period. At one point, the Bolts’ advantage ballooned to 28, with their crisp ball movement and transition play overwhelming Titan Ultra.

     

    The Giant Risers made one final charge in the fourth quarter, slicing the gap to 97-89 and briefly injecting some tension into the contest.

     

    But Meralco stayed composed down the stretch, converting from the line and putting the game away with a breakaway dunk from Bong Quinto.

     

    John Bryan Sajonia continued his strong conference with a career-high 29 points for Titan Ultra, while Michael Gilmore added 25 points and 16 rebounds in a losing effort.

     

    Still, the Giant Risers slipped to 1-3 after failing to fully recover from Meralco’s early onslaught.

     

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  • From semifinal foes to All-Star teammates as RJ Abarrientos, Juan Gomez de Liano face Adrian Nocum-led Juniors

    From semifinal foes to All-Star teammates as RJ Abarrientos, Juan Gomez de Liano face Adrian Nocum-led Juniors

    What the playoffs kept apart, the All-Star Weekend is about to bring together.

     

    After trading blows as opponents in the PBA Philippine Cup semifinals between Barangay Ginebra and Converge, RJ Abarrientos and Juan Gomez de Liano are set to wear the same colors — if only for a night — as fan-chosen leaders of the Rookies-Sophomores squad in the Season 50 PBA All-Star side event.

     

    The unlikely pairing will take center stage during the March 6–8 festivities in Candon City, Ilocos Sur, where the revived Rookies-Sophomores vs Juniors clash returns as a prelude to the main All-Star Game.

     

    Fan voting made the reunion possible. Abarrientos topped all first- and second-year players with 42,862 votes, edging out Converge big man Justine Baltazar (38,022) and Gomez de Liano (37,802) to headline the youthful lineup. 

     

    On the other side, Rain or Shine’s Adrian Nocum emerged as the leading vote-getter for the Juniors with 38,710 votes, setting up a marquee showdown between the league’s rising present and its near-future stars.

     

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    The matchup carries a sense of unfinished business for the league. The format was meant to return during last year’s All-Star Weekend in Davao but was shelved at the last moment due to security concerns, with the event falling a week before the mid-term elections. Its last actual appearance dates back to 2019 in Calasiao, Pangasinan, when the Rookies-Sophomores edged the Juniors 141–140 on a dramatic Jvee Mocon putback.

     

    This year’s cast brings no shortage of intrigue. Joining Abarrientos and Gomez de Liano on the Rookies-Sophomores side are Sedrick Barefield (32,246), Jerom Lastimosa (31,208), Caelan Tiongson (30,840), Kai Ballungay (28,466), CJ Cansino (28,094), Sonny Estil (24,026), Dalph Panopio (23,136), Mark Nonoy (20,498), and Felix Lemetti (19,890) — a mix of creators, slashers, and athletic forwards.

     

    Standing in their way is a Juniors squad stacked with familiar names and rising stars. Alongside Nocum are Ricci Rivero (38,020), Holt (35,584), Zavier Lucero (35,120), Brandon Bates (28,008), Ralph Cu (27,806), Christian David (25,852), Kim Aurin (25,142), Kenneth Tuffin (25,576), Fran Yu (23,602), Deschon Winston (21,412), and Cade Flores (20,370).

     

    For Abarrientos and Gomez de Liano, the All-Star stage offers something rare — a chance to turn rivalry into rhythm, if only temporarily. And for fans, it’s exactly the kind of crossover the weekend was made for.

     

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