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Barangay Ginebra just can’t seem to lose to Meralco this season. The Gin Kings made it five straight wins over the Bolts in PBA Season 49, kicking off their quarterfinals showdown with a solid 100-92 victory at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Wednesday night.

Justin Brownlee and Scottie Thompson were in sync, dropping 23 points each, while Japeth Aguilar added 19 to keep the Kings rolling. With this win, Ginebra is now just one step away from the PBA Commissioner's Cup semifinals, eyeing a sweep in Game 2 on Friday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

Akill Mitchell gave it his all for Meralco, returning from sickbay to post 19 points and 14 rebounds. But the Bolts just couldn't keep up in crunch time. They went scoreless in the final minutes, letting Ginebra close the game on a 13-3 run—thanks in large part to Thompson, who also stuffed the stat sheet with seven rebounds, six assists, and four steals.

Meralco had its moments, keeping things tight through three quarters. They even trailed by just two, 76-78, entering the fourth. But when it mattered most, the Kings outworked and outplayed them—again. The Bolts will now have to dig deep if they want to keep their season alive and avoid another painful playoff exit at the hands of Ginebra.

With momentum fully on their side, Tim Cone and his squad are locked in. Will they finish the job on Friday, or can Meralco finally flip the script? We’ll find out soon.