Barangay Ginebra San Miguel held off the TNT Tropang 5G, 93‑86, in a thriller at the Mall of Asia Arena on Sunday as RJ Abarrientos struck the decisive blow to clinch for the crowd darlings the No. 2 seed heading into the PBA Commissioner’s Cup quarterfinals.
Ginebra finished the eliminations 9‑2, having won seven of their final eight games. By finishing second, the crowd darlings will meet the seventh‑seed Phoenix Fuel Masters in the quarterfinals. TNT, meanwhile, slips to the No. 8 seed and will face top dogs NLEX with a twice‑to‑win disadvantage.
What Happened?
Ginebra struck first, hitting five triples in the first to take a 29-26 lead after one. The crowd darlings continued their hot shooting in the second, drilling five more long bombs to build a 56-45 advantage heading into intermission. Ginebra then padded that cushion to 76-64 after winning a tightly contested, defensive-oriented third frame.
But TNT didn’t just lay down and take the L, instead rallying from as much as 15 down to get within a point, 78‑77, early in the fourth behind Jayson Castro. Ginebra’s veterans answered, hitting just enough baskets to keep the Tropa at bay. It certainly didn’t help that TNT kept going for that home-run four down 88-83 and kept missing. RJ Abarrientos then sealed the deal with a booming triple in the left week off a Justin Brownlee assist to make it 91-83.
Who Stood Out?
Justin Brownlee led the barangay with 18 points and 15 rebounds and was a steadying two‑way presence all night. Abarrientos finished with 17 points and earned Player of the Game honors for his late‑game heroics. Norbert Torres chipped in 10, while Scottie Thompson and Isaac Go added 9 apiece. Ralph Cu flirted with a double‑double, finishing with 7 points and 12 rebounds.
For TNT, Bol Bol carried the scoring load with 33 points on 28 shots, plus 10 rebounds and 5 blocks. Calvin Oftana was the only other Tropang 5G player in double figures with 11, although he hardly played in the second half. The other locals’ limited involvement—an issue all conference—reared its head again in a game that mattered.
3 Keys to the Game
- Clutch shotmaking. Abarrientos’ late triple was the game‑changing moment. He’d already shown creativity earlier with a high‑looper over Bol—then delivered the shot that sealed the result.
- Brownlee’s two‑way presence. Brownlee’s 18‑and‑15 line kept Ginebra competitive through TNT’s comeback. His scoring and rebounding in the fourth helped blunt the Tropang 5G surge.
- Return of Aguilar. Japeth Aguilar’s minutes and close‑range scoring provided Ginebra with a timely lift. His presence altered TNT’s interior approach and gave Coach Tim Cone another reliable option in his big-man rotation.
Next Up for the PBA: Quarterfinals
Wednesday, May 13, 2026 | Ninoy Aquino Stadium
NLEX Road Warriors vs. TNT Tropang 5G (5:15 p.m.)
Meralco Bolts vs. Magnolia Hotshots (7:30 p.m.)
