Game Sunday:
(Mall of Asia Arena)
7:30 p.m. --- Ginebra vs TNT
TNT torched Barangay Ginebra from the three-point area in the opening period before cruising to a 95–89 victory for a strong start in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Commissioner’s Cup best-of-seven finals Friday night at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson waxed-hot with a game-high 34 points and came just two assists short of a triple-double with 13 rebounds and eight dishes without a respite for 48 minutes of action to pace the Tropang Giga, who barely felt the absence of injured veteran guard Jayson Castro.
The two-time Best Import winner scored 18 of his total productions in the second period despite a sluggish start to help TNT create significant separation which cushioned the Kings’ second half fightback.
Game 2 is on Sunday at the same venue.
Ginebra made a scary run in the second half after going down by 18 points, 57-39, at the start of the third quarter after cutting down its deficit to 93-89 after RJ Abarrientos hit the first and only made four-pointer in the venue with just five seconds left.
But it came a little too late as Hollis-Jefferson iced it from the foul line.
“Well, we talked about it at halftime and we said for sure Ginebra’s going to make a run. We just reminded the players to stay calm and to expect it,” TNT coach Chot Reyes said.
“We know that team is too good, too strong, too deep for us to have that kind of a lead all throughout. They made a big run but we came back because the players kept their composure and I think that’s the most important thing. Then the rest was just our defense forcing them to take difficult shots. I think that was the story of the second half,” he added.
RR Pogoy got all of his 15 points from the three-point area including three in a row to spark a telling 18-4 closing run in the first quarter that put TNT in the driver’s seat for good.
Calvin Oftana finished with 10 points and nine rebounds while Rey Nambatac added 10 markers for the Tropang Giga, who hit 14-of-37 from the trifecta.
Pogoy racked three triples in a row before Calvin Oftana, Glenn Khobuntin and Nambatac joined the fray in a barrage of treys for a 29-18 lead at the end of the opening canto.
Justin Brownlee led Ginebra with 28 points, 15 rebounds and six assists while Scottie Thompson added 17 markers and 13 boards.
Abarrientos had 13 markers for the Kings, who are facing TNT in the finals for the second straight time this season after losing in the Governors’ Cup championship.
The scores:
TNT (95) --- Hollis-Jefferson 34, Pogoy 15, Oftana 10, Nambatac 10, Williams 8, Khobuntin 8, Erram 5, Aurin 5, Heruela 0, Razon 0
GINEBRA (89) --- Brownlee 28, Thompson 17, Abarrientos 13, Holt 9, J.Aguilar 9, Rosario 8, Gray 3, Malonzo 2, Ahanmisi 0
Quarters: 29-18, 55-39, 80-66, 95-89