Sixteen months ago, the TNT Tropang 5G and Barangay Ginebra San Miguel battled in what turned out to be a classic Game 7 in front of over 20,000 fans at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. It concluded a hard-fought trilogy in the most epic way possible—an overtime thriller that went down the wire.
But what exactly happened?
TNT Shows Endgame Nerves
The long and short of it was simple: TNT won that Game 7 to claim the PBA Commissioner’s Cup crown of Season 49. It was their second of that season after previously beating Ginebra in the Governors’ Cup, this time in six games.
For a moment, though, Ginebra looked primed for the win. With under six minutes left, Justin Brownlee and company built a 71-66 lead—a luxury at that point after three nip-and-tuck quarters where no team gave an inch. At that moment, TNT appeared like it was on the ropes.
Then, Calvin Oftana happened. The sharpshooting former San Beda Red Lion wiped away that five-point lead with back-to-back treys to tie things up at 72. Next, Glen Khobuntin hit a booming triple after a Scottie Thompson miss to give TNT a 75-72 advantage. Several possessions later, he hit a two-pointer to give the Tropa a 77-74 lead with 47 seconds left.
Justin Brownlee then countered with a jumper to inch Ginebra to 77-76, but Rondae Hollis-Jefferson answered right back with a lay-in to put TNT ahead, 79-76, with time down to 21 seconds.
Justin Brownlee Gives Ginebra Hope—But Not Enough
With time down to less than 20 seconds and Ginebra trailing, 79-76, Tim Cone unsurprisingly turned to Brownlee. Off a timeout and up against a stone-cold Paul Varilla, JB hit a booming step-back trey from nearly 24 feet to tie things up at 79 with 16 ticks left. A miss by Rondae Hollis-Jefferson a possession later sent Game 7 to OT.
In extra time, TNT simply took over. Khobuntin hit his third triple in a 6-0 start for the Tropa that Jamie Malonzo ended with two freebies. Then, after several empty possessions both ways, Oftana recovered a loose ball and swooped in for the game-sealing lay-in.
As the Tropa celebrated their epic conquest, Rey Nambatac was named PBA Finals MVP as his 22-point effort in Game 7 punctuated what had been a dream series for him.
