Make that six in a row for Ginebra

This time, it was Barangay Ginebra’s turn to pull off a Houdini act.

Import Vernon Macklin converted the go-ahead lay-up with 7.9 seconds left and the Gin Kings hung on for a pulsating 91-90 squeaker over the hard-fighting Meralco Bolts to crash into the quarterfinals of the PBA Commissioner's Cup at the packed Smart Araneta Coliseum.

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Ginebra squandered a big eight-point lead in the final 2:27 of play, but the 6-foot-10 Macklin rose to the occasion, bulldozing his way past Meralco counterpart Eric Dawson and sinking the game-clinching lay-up.

In the ensuing play, the 6-foot-11 Dawson had a golden chance to steal the win, getting a clean look for a runner along the right baseline. His shot, however, was a bit too strong and hit the left end of the rim just as the buzzer sounded.

More than tying sister team Petron at third with a 7-5 record and notching its sixth straight victory, Barangay Ginebra assured itself of a playoff appearance for the 18th consecutive conference, the longest active streak among the 10 participating teams, according to resident league statistician Fidel Mangonon III.

It was also Ginebra's second win this conference against Meralco, having essayed an 84-81 decision last March 22.

The Bolts dropped their sixth game in 12 outings but not after putting up a whale of a fight, clawing back from eight points down in the stretch behind three straight triples by Sunday Salvacion and Ronjay Buenafe for a 90-89 lead with 12.9 seconds left.

But Macklin and Co. just wouldn’t be denied.

The prized Ginebra import went on to finish with a game-high 31 points and 12 rebounds while teammate Mac Baracael came through in the fourth, firing away 10 of his 17 markers, the same output of heady guard LA Tenorio.

Fresh from an electrifying 57-point explosion in their 102-92 win over Petron Blaze last Friday, Dawson could only come up with 27 points and 14 rebounds for the Bolts, who also got 19 markers from Buenafe.
 
MVP: It should have been the 6-foot-4 Baracael but Macklin stole the show–and the win from the Bolts. Playing more of a decoy as the former Far Eastern U forward torched his way to the hoop, Macklin proved he’s up to the task when the game is on the line.

His team on the verge of a monumental collapse, the one-time Detroit Piston helped Ginebra dodge the bullet, forcing his way to the lane and practically wiping Dawson out of his way for the eventual game-winning lay-up.

Macklin was a step slower in preventing the driving Dawson but the Meralco import last-gasp attempt proved too strong.
 
X-Factor: With reigning league MVP Mark Caguioa still recuperating from an injured knee, Baracael emerged as the unlikely source of offensive production for Ginebra.

Hardly making his presence felt since getting acquired from Alaska during the mid-season break, Baracael played his finest game as a Gin King, drilling in 10 big points in the fourth canto where they took full control before surviving the Bolts’ last-ditch fightback.
 
Game Turning Point: In a hotly-contested game that saw 14 lead changes and seven deadlocks, the Gin Kings rode on the shoulders of Baracael in the fourth, shattering a 79-all count with a ferocious 10-2 run for a considerable eight-point cushion with 2:27 left.

The Bolts, however, refused to just roll and die. Salvacion sank two of their three treys, the last off a Dawson hand-off that gave them a stunning 90-89 lead, time down to just 12.9 ticks left.

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But Macklin had other things in mind, saving the day for the Gin Kings with that daring lay-up.
 
Quotable Quotes: “’Pag hawak ko ‘yung bola, ginamit ko lang ‘yung chance na makapag-execute kami. Sabi ni coach (Alfrancis Chua) ‘Puputok ako ngayon.’ Kaya ‘yun ang ginawa kong motivation,” said Baracael, who also had six rebounds and two assists.
 
“I just want all viewers to know that this is for the boys. Hindi talaga sila sumusuko and they really want to sacrifice. I am lucky with our sixth straight win. Sa law of averages, matatalo daw kami pero told I them wala sa character namin ‘yun. Ginebra wants to win kahit shoot-an nila kami. Ang morale nila (the Bolts) mataas pero ayaw patalo ng mga bata,” added Chua.
 
The scores:
 
GINEBRA (91) – Macklin 31, Baracael 17, Tenorio 17, Labagala 10, Hatfield 10, Ellis 4, Jensen 2, Espiritu 0, Maierhofer 0, Mamaril 0, Helterbrand 0, Raymundo 0.

MERALCO (90) – Dawson 27, Buenafe 19, Ross 11, Cardona 10, Salvacion 9, Hugnatan 6, Hodge 4, Timberlake 4, Vanlandingham 0, Reyes 0.
Quarterscores: 18-24, 44-43, 71-64, 91-90

SLIDESHOW OF THE GAME: