Barangay Ginebra San Miguel drew first blood in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals with a pulsating 102‑100 victory over the TNT Tropang 5G in Game 1 on Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
What Happened?
Ginebra and TNT picked up from where they left off the last time they played in the Finals, going basket for basket in an intense, well‑played, free‑flowing opening frame. But it was the crowd darlings who came out on top, 30‑25, after one, going 6‑for‑7 from deep. The Gin Kings continued their torrid play in the second, extending the lead to 35‑25 within the first three minutes before entering halftime ahead, 57‑44.
Ginebra continued to stay in control in the first seven minutes of the third quarter, pushing the lead to as high as 72‑56 on a Justin Brownlee jumper. TNT, though, started to make its move, outscoring Ginebra, 16‑7, in the final five minutes of the third to cut the deficit to 79‑72. The crowd darlings, thrice the bridesmaid to three TNT titles, were still ahead, 88‑81, when a 14‑2 blitzkrieg led by Rey Nambatac seemingly gave the Tropang 5G control.
Then, that familiar never‑say‑die spirit kicked in. Troy Rosario hit a crucial basket, followed by a heart‑stopping RJ Abarrientos four‑pointer that gave Ginebra back the lead, 96‑95. RR Pogoy answered with two free throws a minute later to retake the lead for TNT, before another four‑pointer from the presumptive Best Player of the Conference put the Gin Kings back on top, 100‑97.
TNT wasn’t done, though, as Pogoy hit a trey off an offensive rebound to knot the count at 100 with 10 ticks left. Tim Cone unsurprisingly put the ball in Brownlee’s hands next, and JB delivered, banking in a tough fallaway over Chris McCullough to put Ginebra ahead again, 102‑100. The Tropa had one last chance to steal Game 1 away, but Brownlee himself foiled Calvin Oftana’s alley‑oop attempt, though Chot Reyes felt a foul should have been called.
Who Stood Out?
Once again, Brownlee and Abarrientos carried the fight for the crowd darlings. Aside from hitting the game‑winner, JB also put up 23 big points on top of 4 rebounds and 8 assists. Abarrientos, meanwhile, tallied a team‑high 24 to go along with 3 rebounds, 7 assists, and 3 steals. Troy Rosario also stood out, coming off the bench and contributing 16 points, 9 rebounds, and 4 assists.
For TNT, Finals MVP Rey Nambatac showed out, leading that fourth‑quarter charge and finishing with 19 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists. Pogoy was spectacular as well once again, dropping 22 points and 4 rebounds while also nearly sending Game 1 into OT.
3 Keys to the Game
- Long‑range bombing. In a battle of two teams heavily reliant on the three‑ball, it was Ginebra who shot better and made more. The Gin Kings went 13‑for‑27 from the arc and were blazing hot in the first half, where they built a big lead. TNT, on the other hand, went just 10‑for‑28 from distance. What’s more, Abarrientos also hit two four‑pointers late, and they proved to be difference‑makers.
- Turnovers. Ginebra took better care of the ball overall, coughing it up just 10 times compared to the Tropa’s 15. Importantly, the barangay converted off those turnovers, turning them into 27 extra points. TNT, in contrast, scored just 18 turnover points.
- Execution. In the first half especially, Ginebra executed superbly, and evidence of it are the 30 assists Cone’s boys recorded.
Next Up for the PBA
Friday, June 5, 2026 | Smart Araneta Coliseum
Barangay Ginebra San Miguel vs. TNT Tropang 5G (7:30 p.m.)
