Great Scottie!

Games Wednesday:

(Smart Araneta Coliseum)

5:15 p.m. — Meralco vs TNT

7:30 p.m. — Ginebra vs San Miguel

Scottie Thompson picked up the perfect time to record a career night.

Barangay Ginebra banked on Thompson’s historic triple-double to overcome a 16-point deficit to bring down defending champion San Miguel Beer, 105-91, in Game 4 to level the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Season 50 Philippine Cup semifinals to 2-2 Sunday night at the Mall of Asia Arena.

The decorated guard posted a career-best 35 points in an efficient 13-of-18 field goal shooting while dishing out 11 rebounds and 11 assists in over 36 minutes of action.

“I prayed for this. I prayed for this game. We fought hard. We battled down the stretch. We defended well for today’s game and I hope we’ll continue playing like this in the next game,” Thompson said as he became the first local player to put up a 30-point triple-double in 36 years.

Ginebra, which arrested a two-game slide, aims to reclaim the lead on Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Thompson breached a first-ever career 30-point production with 7:28 left after knocking down a three-pointer before following it up with back-to-back baskets to give Ginebra a 91-83 edge with 5:41 remaining.

He completed his triple-double with a dish for a Japeth Aguilar two-handed jam with 2:46 left for the first 30-point triple-double since Ronnie Magsanoc submitted 32 points, 13 rebounds and 18 assists in Shell’s 155-108 win over Pepsi during the 1990 All-Filipino Conference back on 5 July 1990.

“Let me just say, it’s a legendary performance. I think we’re gonna remember this one for a long time,” Ginebra head coach Tim Cone said.

Aguilar and Nobert Torres added 14 and 13 points, respectively, while providing good defensive effort against San Miguel center June Mar Fajardo, who was limited to a single-digit scoring for a second straight game after averaging 24 points in the first two. Jayson David came off the bench and contributed 12 points, seven assists, three rebounds, three steals and two blocks for Ginebra.

The Beermen were lights out from the outside in the first half, hitting nine triples with CJ Perez and Chris Ross nailing four each.

San Miguel’s three-point shooting created a 16-point separation, 30-14, with Don Trollano joining the fray with his trey in the last 2:58 of the opening period.

Ginebra went to Thompson, RJ Abarrientos, Ralph Cu and Aguilar to turn things around in the second quarter.

The Kings outscored the Beermen, 30-19, to enter the halftime with a slim 56-55.

Perez had 22 points, Ross scored 20 while Cruz had 15 points for San Miguel.

Fajardo, who remained bothered by shoulder pain, had nine points on a cold 3-of-14 shooting, grabbed 20 rebounds with five assists, one steal and a block.