TNT dominates Ginebra, takes Finals opener

ANTIPOLO --- Repeat-seeking TNT relied on its vaunted defense to shut down Barangay Ginebra in an emphatic 104-88 win in Game 1 of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Governors’ Cup finals Sunday at the Ynares Center here.

The Tropang Giga came out like a house on fire, dictating the pace right from the get-go and never giving the Gin Kings an inch in the lopsided best-of-seven series opener.

TNT effectively held Ginebra way below its average of 106 points per game and took away the outside shooting of the same team it beat in the finals of last year’s edition.

“We hit it right on the head. We know the strength of Ginebra. We’re a very data-driven team so we looked at the numbers and focused really on that to take away their strengths,” Tropang Giga coach Chot Reyes said.

“And making sure that we lean on what our strength, which is really our ability to stop teams by playing defense.”    

TNT’s defense forced the Kings to miss 19 of their 21 three-point attempts and shot 1-of-5 from the four-point area.

Game 2 is on Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Jayson Castro displayed vintage form in the decisive third quarter, scoring 12 of his 14 points before Rey Nambatac finished what the TNT veteran guard started by pouring 12 of 18 markers in the payoff period for an impressive championship debut.

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson filled the stats sheet with 19 points, 10 rebounds, four assists, three blocks and one steal for the Tropang Giga, who shot 12-of-30 from the three-point area to go with 42 points in the paint.    

Nambatac came close to a triple-double with 10 boards and seven assists while Poy Erram and RR Pogoy had 15 and 12 markers, respectively.

The Tropang Giga broke the game open as early as 4:31 in the first quarter after Calvin Oftana converted a layup for a 19-4 lead.

From there it was all TNT as the Kings only came as close as five, 33-38, with 2:50 in the second quarter.

Pogoy gave the Tropang Giga its biggest lead, 89-69, with 7:29 left in the game.

Justin Brownlee led Ginebra with 23 points but bled from the field with an 8-of-21 shooting clip. He also had seven rebounds and six assists in a lost cause.

Japeth Aguilar added 14 points, Ralph Cu got 13 while Stephen Holt and Maverick Ahanmisi had quiet 12 and 10 points, respectively, for the Kings.  

The scores:

TNT (104) --- Hollis-Jefferson 19, Nambatac 18, Erram 15, Castro 14, Pogoy 12, Oftana 9, Aurin 8, Khobuntin 5, Williams 2, Heruela 2, Payawal 0, Galinato 0

GINEBRA (88) --- Brownlee 23, J.Aguilar 14, Cu 13, Holt 12, Ahanmisi 10, Thompson 7, Abarrientos 5, Pinto 2, Tenorio 2, Pessumal 0, Mariano 0, Adamos 0

Quarters: 27-15, 43-37, 72-62, 104-88