MANILA, Philippines – The Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings drew first blood in their best-of-seven Finals series against the TNT Tropang Giga in the PBA Philippine Cup Finals with a 100-94 Game One overtime win on Sunday.
After Arvin Tolentino rose to the occasion with a clutch layup that sent the game into an extra period, Stanley Pringle and Japeth Aguilar sparked the Ginebra offense to win the tightly contested affair.
With the Gin Kings only leading by two, 96-94, Aljon Mariano extended their breathing space with a lay-in with 56 ticks left, and it was enough to keep the gritty TNT at bay.
The Tropang Giga held the lead, 91-88, with 36 seconds left in regulation after a Jayson Castro triple, but a missed free throw by Bobby Ray Parks with 11 ticks left tipped the scales back to Ginebra.
In a game of runs, the Gin Kings and the Tropang Giga led by as much as nine and seven points, respectively, at different points of the contest.
Aguilar top-scored for the Gin Kings with 25 points while Pringle and Scottie Thompson finished with 24 and 15 markers, respectively.
Bobby Ray Parks paced the Tropang Giga in the losing effort with 20 points after fouling out in overtime, while RR Pogoy contributed 19.
Game Two is on Wednesday.