MANILA: In an arena that took on a playoff atmosphere and ranged against a formidable foe in a game that could make or break them, the Star Hotshots on Sunday night played like the champions that they are and finally got a winning streak going in the PBA Governors’ Cup.

Joe Devance stepped up big time at the clutch and Marqus Blakely was as effective on both ends as always as Star survived the loss of a 19-point lead to trounce Barangay Ginebra, 89-82, to climb to .500 for the first time in the season-closing conference before 17,000 fans at the Araneta Coliseum.

“This is already a playoff level game, this was already the playoffs for us,” Star coach Tim Cone said after getting 26 points from Devance and 19 and 19 rebounds from Blakely in improving to 3-4 and keeping a top four finish within sight.

“We’ve been doing a lot better in practice and it translated into the game today,” Cone said. “We played off our defense today, created our offense off of our defense. That’s always been out way and the guys are buying into it again.”

Star’s defense held the Gin Kings to just nine points in the first period and the Hotshots zoomed to a 40-21 lead midway through the second period only to allow the Gin Kings back.

It was the first winning streak for the Hotshots, who opened up with a win before losing four straight. Star came into the game just a week after ripping KIA Motors in Angeles City last Saturday.

The Hotshots saw that imposing advantage evaporate and even trailed by as large as six only to get their rhythm back in the third before holding off the hard-fighting Kings in a much-applauded endgame.

“This was a test of character for us, and I am proud that we played with a lot of it, especially after losing that (19-point) lead,” Cone went on.

The Hotshots opened up the fourth period with a 14-1 run that bloated a 64-62 lead to 78-64, an advantage Star protected the rest of the way.

While Star stayed within range of availing a twice-to-beat privilege if it finishes in the top four, Ginebra’s chances of doing the same dimmed after the Gin Kings slipped to 3-5 overall and with only three games remaining in their elimination round schedule.

Orlando Johnson scored 35 points and had 11 rebounds, and Japeth Aguilar contributed 19 and nine for the Kings, who are still awaiting for Greg Slaughter to get back to peak form after sitting out the first five games.

Slaughter finished with just four points and five rebounds I 23 minutes and no other Ginebra player was able to contribute in double figures.

Solomon Mercado had nine points and the rest of the Ginebra guards struggled all night with LA Tenorio winding up with just two points and Mark Caguioa four.

Ginebra was pathetic in the fourth, missing seven free throws and 12 field goal tries while committing seven of its 16 turnovers.

As things stand, only Barako Bull, San Miguel Beer and Alaska are safely in the playoffs, with the Energy, the Beermen and the Aces to spend the rest of the elimination round chasing a top four berth.

The Energy stayed in the lead at 6-1 after outsteadying Globalport, 123-114, behind 41 points and 27 rebounds from talented import Liam McMorrow in the curtain-raiser.

Joseph Yeo added 19 points and three other locals tossed in 10 or better for the Energy, who dealt the Batang Pier a second straight loss in a 4-4 card that dropped them into a tie with the Hotshots.