Tropang Giga assert mastery over Gin Kings, seize PBA crown in OT

MANILA, Philippines -- TNT continues to be the thorn on Barangay Ginebra’s side.

In front of a mammoth crowd of 21,274, the TNT Tropang Giga clinched the PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup championship after escaping the Gin Kings, 87-83, in overtime of Game 7 Friday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

It was a thriller that went down the wire – a fitting conclusion to a classic seven-game championship series. This is the 11th total title for the Tropang Giga in the PBA and their third consecutive championship win against Barangay Ginebra.

Limping for much of the overtime period, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson poured everything out with 25 points, 12 rebounds, two assists, two steals and a block in 52 minutes and 53 seconds of floor time. Rey Nambatac added 22 markers, four assists and three steals.

Tied at 79-all at the end of regulation, the Tropang Giga scored six straight points capped by a corner 3-pointer by Glenn Khobuntin to grab an 85-79 lead with 2:22 left in overtime.

A dunk by Japeth Aguilar and a pair of free throws by Jamie Malonzo cut the lead to two, 83-85, with 51.4 seconds to go.

After a Khobuntin layup miss in the next possession, Scottie Thompson had a chance to push Ginebra ahead with a 3-pointer. He missed, and he tracked the ball down but it slipped from his hands, bringing the rock back to the TNT side.

And with 6.3 seconds left, Calvin Oftana hit the dagger layup to set the final score.

With one final shot to tie, Ginebra went to Justin Brownlee, who virtually took the Gin Kings to overtime. He faked a 4-pointer and had a clean look, but it missed everything. They could not get another shot up as time expired, leading to the title.

Ginebra was leading by five, 71-66, with 7:05 remaining in regulation after a split from the line by Aguilar, who caught an elbow on the face from Poy Erram.

But Oftana and Khobuntin hit huge 3-pointers to grab a huge 9-1 run and give TNT a 75-72 lead.

The two teams could not buy a basket in the next minutes, before RJ Abarrientos broke the ice with a layup, 74-75, with 1:16 left.

This was when the two squads traded haymakers.

In the next possession, TNT went to Oftana, who attempted a long jumper. He missed, but Khobuntin grabbed the offensive rebound.

This time around, the Tropang Giga put the ball in the hands of Khobuntin, and he hit a tough baseline drifting jumper to push their lead to three, 77-74, with 47.6 seconds to go.

On the other end, Justin Brownlee made something out of nothing, hitting a short stab, 77-76, as the shot clock sounded.

But Rondae Hollis-Jefferson would not be deterred, connecting on a tough layup against the tight defense of Brownlee to keep the Gin Kings at bay, 79-76, with 21.2 seconds remaining.

Brownlee, though, hit his patented top-of-the-key 3-pointer over the outstretched arms of Paul Varilla to tie things up at 79 with 16.7 seconds left, which forced overtime.

Hollis-Jefferson had the chance to win it in the fourth quarter, but he could not get up a decent shot against the defense of Stephen Holt and the double of Scottie Thompson, setting up the furious overtime finish.

Khobuntin had 14 points, three rebounds, a steal and an assist for TNT. Oftana added 10 markers.

Brownlee powered Ginebra with 28 points, 10 rebounds and three assists but shot 12-of-30 from the field and committed seven turnovers. Aguilar chipped in a double-double of 15 points and 11 rebounds, while Thompson had 13 markers.