Facing the prospect of back-to-back losses to contenders seemed to fire up Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, who took the fight to the TNT Tropang 5G on Wednesday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum for the continuation of the PBA Philippine Cup. In the end, the crowd darlings pulled out their first win of Season 50 with a 92-77 rout of their rivals.
What Happened?
Ginebra went on an 18-0 tear to turn a slim 13-10 lead in the first quarter into a 31-10 advantage. That 21-point cushion proved more than enough for the Barangay, who repeatedly quelled every TNT uprising from that point forward. In fact, Ginebra kept TNT at bay so much that the Tropa couldn’t get within eight of Ginebra the entire second half. It was, to say the least, a commanding performance from the crowd favorites after falling flat against the Magnolia Hotshots.
Who Stood Out?
Scottie Thompson and Japeth Aguilar, Ginebra’s old reliables, set the tone early with their aggressiveness and assertiveness. Aguilar would go on to register a 17-point, 10-rebound double-double on 8-for-12 shooting, while Thompson scattered 10 points, 5 rebounds, and 9 assists to go along with his terrific defense, mostly on Rey Nambatac.
Over at the TNT side, every Tropang 5G seemed off his game save for Simon Enciso in the fourth quarter. The former San Miguel Beerman scored 14 of his 17 points in the final 12 minutes as he tried to lead a TNT fightback.
3 Keys to the Game
- Ginebra’s defense. Tim Cone has always preached defense, and against TNT, his wards were on point on that end, stifling the Tropa’s explosive firepower with a smothering, aggressive defense. The end result was TNT shooting just 36.5% overall and 30.3% from downtown.
- Turning defense into offense. Proof of Ginebra’s stifling D are the 16 turnovers it forced. But more than forcing errors, the crowd darlings actually converted them into points, giving them a 25-12 advantage on that end.
- Strong start. Ginebra’s first-quarter blitz proved to be the difference-maker in this game. It galvanized the team, who seemed to draw tremendous confidence after building a big lead against their rivals.
Next Up for the PBA
The PBA returns to Smart Araneta Coliseum again on Friday in what promises to be a compelling twin bill. The first game will have the Magnolia Hotshots taking on the Titan Ultra Giant Risers, while the second game will feature a showdown between Barangay Ginebra San Miguel and Meralco.
Magnolia vs. Titan Ultra | Ginebra vs. Meralco
