The TNT Tropang 5G outlasted Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, 98-90, in Game 6 of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals on Sunday in front of over 22,000 fans at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. With the victory, TNT and Ginebra will face off one last time this conference to decide the champion.
What Happened?
Game 6 began with a fierce nip-and-tuck in the opening frame dominated by defense. After 12, the Tropa, playing without regular starters Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser and Calvin Oftana, moved in front, 17-16. The second quarter was just as tight, but this time with a lot more offense as the Tropang 5G dropped 28, while the Gin Kings fired 27, as the two teams entered halftime just two points apart, 45-43.
The third canto continued to be a tight affair, with TNT and Ginebra exchanging leads four times and ending up tied five times. An 11-3 run to end the third, however, gave the Tropa some breathing room, 75-67, heading into the final frame.
Like in Game 5, Ginebra battled back behind Justin Brownlee to retake the lead, 80-78, at the halfway mark of the fourth quarter. Chris McCullough, though, snatched the lead right back with a three to make it 81-80. A CMac layup and a Kelly Williams undergoal stab then made it 85-80 in favor of TNT with time down to 3:49. McCullough then scored the Tropang 5G’s next nine points, including a booming four-pointer, to seize control, 96-88, and later on seal the win.
Who Stood Out?
Two days after Brownlee erupted for a PBA career-high 54 in Game 5, McCullough made sure to return the favour, carrying TNT with 53 points for his own best output in the PBA. He added 22 rebounds as he dominated Ginebra the entire second half. He got some help, too, mostly from Jordan Heading and RR Pogoy, who fired 19 and 13, respectively. Heading added 9 assists, while Pogoy once again gave Ginebra a tough time defensively.
For Ginebra, it was the JB show once more as he dropped 52, including the barangay’s final 15 points in the fourth quarter. Unfortunately, he did not have much help, save maybe for Troy Rosario, who had 9 points and 15 boards.
3 Keys to the Game
- Chris McCullough. Brownlee closed the show in Game 5; CMac did it for TNT in Game 6. A late replacement for the injured Bol Bol, McCullough scored 16 in the fourth, including a triple that gave the Tropa the lead for good at 81-80, and a four-pointer that made it 94-86 for TNT with 1:53 left.
- Local support. Both CMac and JB scored the majority of their respective team’s points, but McCullough had just a little more, with Heading and Pogoy both contributing double-digit scoring. In contrast, Brownlee got very little from Ginebra’s usual reliables in Scottie Thompson and RJ Abarrientos, who combined for a measly 9 markers.
- NSD. This time, Team NSD didn’t show the never-say-die spirit. Instead, it was TNT who did. Down two starters in Oftana and BGR, and with Jayson Castro getting injured in the second half as well, the Tropa dug deep and found a way to send this series to a winner-take-all Game 7.
Next Up for the PBA
Wednesday, June 17, 2026 | SM Mall of Asia Arena
Barangay Ginebra San Miguel vs. TNT Tropang 5G (7:30 p.m.)
