Ginebra carried the fire from its thrilling quarterfinal triumph over Converge and delivered another strong statement by defeating San Miguel, 99-90, in Game 1 of the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup semifinals Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao.

The Gin Kings surged early, building a 39-27 advantage, and despite a mid-game lull, they held firm down the stretch to draw first blood in the best-of-seven series.

RJ Abarrientos led Ginebra with 23 points, while Scottie Thompson added 22 and Chris Cu contributed 13. The Gin Kings’ supporting cast also chipped in as Jayson David scored 10, Torres and Rosario had eight each, and Japeth Aguilar added seven points.

For San Miguel, June Mar Fajardo carried the scoring load with 27 points, followed by CJ Perez with 18 and Marcio Lassiter with 12. Tiongson added eight markers, and the rest of the Beermen chipped in across the stat sheet, but it wasn’t enough to counter Ginebra’s balanced attack.

The quarters told a story of swings: Ginebra led 26-18 after the first, extended slightly to 48-46 at halftime, saw San Miguel take a 73-72 third-quarter edge, but the Gin Kings closed strong to secure the 99-90 victory.

Ginebra now has a psychological edge as the series shifts to Game 2 on Wednesday, January 7, also at the Big Dome.

The Beermen will be looking to bounce back and even the series, but Ginebra has set the tone early with a combination of hot shooting and timely defensive stops.

Game Scores – Ginebra vs. San Miguel:

Ginebra 99 – Abarrientos 23, Thompson 22, Cu 13, David 10, Torres 8, Rosario 8, J.Aguilar 7, Holt 6, Gray 2, Pinto 0, Estil 0

San Miguel 90 – Fajardo 27, Perez 18, Lassiter 12, Tiongson 8, Trollano 5, Calma 4, Cruz 4, Cahilig 3, Tautuaa 3, Brondial 2, Rosales 2

Quarter Scores: 26-18, 48-46, 72-73, 99-90

Ginebra’s opening-game win sets the stage for a thrilling semifinal clash as both powerhouse teams gear up for Game 2.