TNT beats Ginebra in epic Game 7 duel, cops PBA Comm’s Cup crown

Sports

IT WAS a fight for the ages as two proud teams figured in an epic duel that needed more than four quarters for it to be settled.

When the smoke cleared, it was the TNT Tropang Giga who stood victorious.

The Tropa once again scaled the summit of success, capturing the 49th PBA Commissioner’s Cup title via a lung-busting 87-83 overtime win over the Barangay Ginebra Kings in Game 7 of their best-of-seven title series on Friday night, March 28, at the packed Araneta Coliseum.

It was TNT’s second straight championship crown as it also won the season-opening Governors’ Cup. With the two straight championships this season, the Tropa will now contend for a rare grandslam in the upcoming All-Filipino Cup.

The hard-earned Game 7 victory also extended TNT’s dominance over Ginebra with the Tropa improving to 3-0 in their last three championship meetings with the Kings.

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Rey Nambatac provided the Tropa with the needed production and finished with 25 and 22 points, respectively.

Nambatac went on to win the Finals MVP award after averaging 17.89 points, 3.1 rebounds, and 3.4 assists in the series.

TNT, however, could have not made it if not for the heroics of Glenn Khobuntin, who pumped in some crucial points in the endgame that alowed the Tropa to pull through.

Khobuntin, who finished with 14 points, sank a three-pointer that gave the Tropa a 75-72 lead at the four-minute mark of regulation.

The 33-year-old Khobuntin delivered another big-time triple that catapulted the Tropa into an 85-79 lead with only 2:32 left in overtime.

Justin Brownlee led Ginebra with 28 points and 10 rebounds.

Brownlee was responsible for sending the game into a five-minute extension when he knocked down a three-pointer that forged a 79-all standoff in the closing seconds of regulation.

The booming three-pointer sent the throng of Ginebra fans on their feet. But in the end, it was TNT which got the last laugh.

THE SCORES:

TNT (87)- Hollis-Jefferson 25, Nambatac 22, Khobuntin 14, Oftana 10, Pogoy 9, Erram 5, Williams 2, Aurin 0, Heruela 0.

GINEBRA (83)- Brownlee 28, Thompson 13, J.Aguilar 15, Holt 12, Abarrientos 8, Ahanmisi 3, Rosario 2, Malonzo 2.QUARTERSCORES: 22-16, 40-35, 60-62, 79-79, 87-83.(CCM)