Ginebra frustrates TNT in Game 5, nears PBA Commissioner’s Cup crown

Sports

THE Barangay Ginebra Kings moved on the threshold of winning the 49th PBA Commissioner’s Cup crown after they clobbered the TNT Tropang Giga, 73-66, in Game 5 of their best-of-seven championship series on Sunday night, March 23, at the Araneta Coliseum.

Ginebra became the first team to win back-to-back in the series, and by doing so, it moved just a win away from winning another crown since ruling the 2023 Commissioner's Cup against the Bay Area Dragons.

Prior to Game 5, the two squads had alternated wins, and TNT was poised to sustain the trend when it built a 45-35 lead at the half.

TNT maintained a double-digit lead in the third, 47-37, but things changed quickly when Ginebra staged a 10-0 run that allowed them to tie the count at 47-all.

While the Kings were in the middle of a torrid comeback, an ugly scene unfolded at the TNT bench when head coach Chot Reyes and Poy Erram got into a heated exchange.

Everything went downhill for TNT from there, scoring just 21 points in the second half, including a meager 10-point in the fourth period.

Brownlee, playing with an injured right thumb, led the Kings anew with 18 points, 14 rebounds, and five assists.

Interestingly, the Kings broke away in the final half where Brownlee scored just two points.

Scottie Thompson added 16 points and 10 rebounds for Ginebra, while Maverick Ahanmisi and Japeth Aguilar donated 11 markers apiece.

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Rey Nambatac topped TNT with 19 markers apiece.

THE SCORES:

GINEBRA (73) - Brownlee 18, Thompson 16, J.Aguilar 11, Ahanmisi 11, Rosario 6, Malonzo 6, Holt 3, Abarrientos 2, Tenorio 0.

TNT (66) - Hollis-Jefferson 19, Nambatac 19, Oftana 8, Pogoy 8, Aurin 8, Erram 4, Heruela 0, Williams 0, Exciminiano 0, Khobuntin 0.QUARTERSCORES: 17-24, 35-45, 57-56, 73-66.(CCM)