The TNT Tropang Giga have done it again.
TNT leaned on steely nerves and timely baskets from Glenn Khobuntin to outlast Barangay Ginebra San Miguel, 87-83, in Game 7 of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals on Friday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
In what was a fitting conclusion to a hard-fought classic, TNT and Ginebra went toe-to-to pretty much the entire way after the former tied things up at 22 after the latter built a 22-12 lead late in the first quarter. From that point on, it was a nip-and-tuck Game 7, with no team leading by more than six points and both teams making their share of big shots.
Only, the Tropang Giga made more of them, with Calvin Oftana and Khobuntin doing the heavy damage. First, it was the former no. 3 overall pick hitting back-to-back treys to wipe out a 71-66 Ginebra advantage and tie things up at 72 at the 4:52 mark. Then, 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. Brownlee countered again, hitting a step back trey from nearly 24 feet to tie things up at 79 with 16 ticks left.
TNT Taken to OT But Gets Job Done
With 16 seconds remaining and Game 7 tied at 79, the Tropang Giga had the golden chance to win the title with a walk-off, but RHJ was smothered and was forced to take an off-balanced desperation heave from just inside the arc. He missed, sending the winner-take-all to an extra five minutes.
The Tropang Giga took over from there, scoring the first six points of OT—including another Khobuntin triple—to give themselves some much-needed cushion in the end game. Two free throws by Jamie Malonzo inched Ginebra to within 85-83, but it was the closest Team NSD got in the end.
Hollis-Jefferson, one of the heroes of TNT’s Game 6 triumph, led the way for the Tropang Giga with 25 points and 12 rebounds, while Finals MVP Rey Nambatac added 22, most in the first three quarters. Khobuntin had 14 off the TNT bench, while Oftana chipped in 10—none bigger than the six he scored in the fourth.
Brownlee fired a game-high 28 but was 12-for-30 from the field. Japeth Aguilar added 15 points and 11 rebounds, while Thompson put up 13 points, 9 rebounds, and 8 assists. Stephen Holt chipped in 14 and RJ Abarrientos scored 8 off the bench.
The Scores:
TNT 87 – Hollis-Jefferson 25, Nambatac 22, Khobuntin 14, Oftana 10, Pogoy 9, Erram 5, Williams 2, Aurin 0, Heruela 0
Ginebra (83) –Brownlee 28, Thompson 13, J.Aguilar 15, Holt 12, Abarrientos 8, Ahanmisi 3, Rosario 2, Malonzo 2
