MANILA, Philippines – The stage is set as two familiar foes go at it once again in the PBA finals.
For the second championship in a row and the third in the last five conferences, Barangay Ginebra and TNT dispute the crown in the best-of-seven Commissioner’s Cup finals, which will kick off at the Mall of Asia Arena on Friday, March 14.
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Second quarter
- 36-22 TNT: Rondae Hollis-Jefferson puts it back in
- 34-22 TNT: Rondae Hollis-Jefferson completes the three-point play
- 31-22 TNT: Japeth Aguilar two-handed jam
- 31-20 TNT: Rondae Hollis-Jefferson restores the double-digit lead for the Tropang Giga
- 29-20 TNT: Justin Brownlee with the putback
First quarter
- END OF 1Q: TNT nails eight threes in the opening frame as the Tropang Giga build a 29-18 lead over Barangay Ginebra
- 29-18 TNT: Nambatac kisses it off the glass as the Tropang Giga hit another three
- 26-18 TNT: Khobuntin joins the three-point party
- 23-18 TNT: Hollis-Jefferson called for goaltending following replay review
- 23-16 TNT: Oftana drills a corner triple
- 20-16 TNT: Holt reverse layup
- 20-14 TNT: Three in a row from the outside by Pogoy
- 17-14 TNT: Pogoy nails another triple
- 14-14: Pogoy swishes it from three-point country
- 14-11 GINEBRA: Holt kisses it off the glass
- 12-11 GINEBRA: Hollis-Jefferson completes the fastbreak finish
- 12-9 GINEBRA: Rosario responds with a corner triple
- 9-9: Williams ties the game from downtown
- 9-6 GINEBRA: Williams cans a left wing three
- 9-3 GINEBRA: Brownlee cuts and scores an easy layup
- 7-3 GINEBRA: Brownlee skies for the alley-oop finish
- 5-3 GINEBRA: Hollis-Jefferson nails a tough baseline jumper
- 5-1 GINEBRA: Hollis-Jefferson splits from the charity stripe
- 5-0 GINEBRA: Thompson completes the three-point play
- 4-0 GINEBRA: Thompson with the and-one opportunity
- 2-0 GINEBRA: Japeth Aguilar with the undergoal stab
Starters
- TNT: Williams, Hollis-Jefferson, Pogoy, Heruela, Oftana
- Ginebra: Thompson, Holt, Brownlee, Rosario, Aguilar
Preview
Last conference, the Tropang Giga, bannered by Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, toppled the Justin Brownlee-led Gin Kings in six games to claim their second straight Governors’ Cup title.
With Brownlee and Hollis-Jefferson headlining this series anew, expect another tight and exciting matchup as Ginebra looks to finally get its revenge on TNT, while the Tropang Giga aim to reassert their mastery over the Gin Kings.
In contrast to their previous finals showdown, Ginebra enters the series with a deeper roster following the return of Jamie Malonzo and Jeremiah Gray from injuries and the acquisition of Troy Rosario prior to the start of the Commissioner’s Cup.
Meanwhile, TNT will be without one of its main gunners in Jayson Castro, who suffered a full thickness patellar tendon tear in his right knee in the Tropang Giga’s semifinal series against the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters.
Game 1 tipoff is at 7:30 pm. – Rappler.com
