HARDLY missing a beat since helping Barangay Ginebra capture its second PBA crown last season under Tim Cone, Kings slotman Greg Slaughter opened the 43rd season with a bang with back-to-back solid games to earn the PBA Press Corps Player of the Week.
Slaughter kicked off the PBA’s new season by knocking down 24 points, hauling down 12 rebounds and adding 4 blocks to lead Ginebra to an 89-78 victory over long-time rival Magnolia in the Manila Clasico on Christmas Day at the Philippine Arena in Bulacan.
The former Ateneo big man is no doubt, Ginebra’s main weapon inside the paint, as he used his size and length over his shorter Magnolia defenders to lead the Kings to their eighth straight Christmas Day win. Ginebra has only lost once in 11 Christmas Day games.
The 6-foot-11 Slaughter continued his dominant showing despite coming off a long Holiday break after flirting with a double-double — scoring 18 points and adding 9 boards, while making his presence felt on the defensive end with 5 blocks as Ginebra squeaked past GlobalPort, 104-97, last Sunday.
Slaughter impressive performances to start the season rewarded him the weekly citation, beating a number of candidates led by teammate LA Tenorio, Phoenix gunner Matthew Wright, rookie Jason Perkins and big man Doug Kramer, TNT’s Jayson Castro, Troy Rosario and Mo Tautuaa, San Miguel’s June Mar Fajardo and Alex Cabagnot as well as Blackwater’s Mike DiGregorio and Mac Belo.
Ginebra will be gunning for its third straight win in the Philippine Cup when it battles Blackwater this Friday at the Mall of Asia Arena.