Here are the players who made the biggest impact on June 12 and the stats to highlight their impact.
TOP PERFORMERS OF THE GAME:
Justin Brownlee GIN SF 54 PTS | 14 REB | 5 AST | 79.3 FPS
The Best Import of the Conference was just unmatched in Game 5. Offensively, he took full advantage with Pogoy guarding him, scoring 11 points on 5-for-7 shooting in the first quarter and posting 19 in the first half. But he elevated his game even further afterward, scoring 30 in the second half to push the game into overtime. There, he impressed once again, scoring five more points to establish a new career-high output. Through five games in this series, Ginebra has been heavily reliant on Brownlee, and although he has delivered, they will need others to step up if they want to close out this series.
Christopher Albert McCullough TNT C 38 PTS | 16 REB | 2 BLK | 64.7 FPS
It wasn’t a flawless performance, but the veteran import was dominant regardless. He started strong, pouring 14 points in the second quarter while torching Ginebra on two-pointers, hitting ten of his first eleven shots. He was just as impressive in rebounding, posting a game-high and conference-high output. Despite the strong overall performance, he still failed to deliver when it mattered most, missing five free-throws in the fourth and overtime, which allowed Ginebra to take control of the game.
Roger Ray Pogoy TNT SF 23 PTS | 6 REB | 2 STL | 39.7 FPS
Pogoy largely delivered for TNT in Game 5, bouncing back from a disappointing previous outing to record his third 20-point game of the series and sixth of the postseason. He was nearly unstoppable from inside the arc, converting 9-of-10 attempts. However, it was a completely different story from three-point range, where he shot a frigid 1-of-9.
Jayson Castro TNT PG 6 REB | 6 AST | 3 BLK | 30.2 FPS
Castro was an absolute game-changer today. Though he wasn’t scoring early, he still made a huge impact through his defense and playmaking. He recorded a steal with three blocks, and five assists in just the first half to help his team get back into the game. TNT will definitely need him to keep producing at this level for them to turn this series around.
Jeth Troy Rosario GIN PF 10 PTS | 7 REB | 3 AST | 23.9 FPS
Rosario made a big impact early in Game 5, recording four offensive rebounds while also contributing in playmaking in the first half. He also finished the night strong offensively, posting his third double-digit scoring game of the series. Despite some struggles, Rosario has largely been a solid, reliable force for his team in the Finals.
Rhon Jay Abarrientos GIN PG 13 PTS | 4 AST | 1 BLK | 23.4 FPS
This was far from the usual spectacular form Abarrientos has displayed throughout the conference. He was held in check for most of the day, shooting a quiet 4-for-11 from the field on his way to a series-low scoring output. Despite the struggles, he stepped up when they needed him most, delivering four clutch points and two key assists in overtime to seal the win.
Earl Scottie Thompson GIN SF 5 REB | 4 AST | 2 STL | 23.0 FPS
It was another rough shooting night for Thompson, who went just 1-for-10 from the field, including missing all four of his attempts from deep. Still, he was able to impact the game at a high level with excellent production in the secondary categories. While he should continue to find ways to help the team, it’s his scoring that will ultimately make the biggest difference.
Jordan Timothy Heading TNT SG 13 PTS | 2 REB | 2 AST | 20.4 FPS
Though Heading stood out in Game 4, he struggled to come close to that level today, shooting just 1-for-7 from two-point range while also making minimal impact in other areas. Still, he was highly reliable from three, hitting 3-of-5 in this game to bring his total to 13 three-pointers made—the most in the series.
Stephen Jeffrey Holt GIN SG 8 REB | 2 AST | 2 STL | 19.6 FPS
Holt anchored the defensive end in Game 5, providing solid value in steals while also leading all local players in rebounding. Offensively, though, it was another ugly game from him. He finished with just two points—marking the fourth time in five games he has scored fewer than five—while also committing a costly turnover and missing two free throws late in the game.
Japeth Paul Aguilar GIN C 12 PTS | 1 REB | 1 AST | 12.7 FPS
The former MVP gave his team a nice boost offensively, scoring 10 points in the first half. Unfortunately, he couldn’t match that form for the rest of the game because of his limited playing time. Even so, Aguilar has been a big factor for Ginebra in their last three games, averaging close to 12 points while shooting 13-for-18 on two-pointers.
Rey Benedict Nambatac TNT SG 4 REB | 1 AST | 1 STL | 11.3 FPS
It has been a tough conference for Nambatac. Despite a strong start to the series, his offensive struggles have caught up to him over the last three games, where he is averaging just 3.0 points on a dismal 3-for-12 shooting from the field.
Brandon Arnell Ganuelas-Rosser TNT C 2 PTS | 4 REB | 6.8 FPS
Through the first four games of the series, BGR did his job well, contributing positively on both ends of the floor. Today, however, he was certainly less productive, largely due to limited minutes. Regardless, this was still a positive performance, and he remains one of the team’s most reliable pieces in the Finals.
John Cedrick Abis GIN SF 2 PTS | 4 REB | 6.8 FPS
The rookie forward hasn’t seen many minutes in this series, but when he does, he usually makes the most of them—just as he did today. He was instrumental to the comeback, supplying solid defense and much-needed energy in the second half.
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT OF THE GAME:
Calvin John Oftana TNT SG 9 PTS | 4-10 FG | 7 REB | 17.4 FPS
Except for Game 2, Oftana has largely underwhelmed offensively in this series, and it was no different in Game 5 as he finished with another below-par scoring output. While he continued to excel on the boards, finishing second on the team in rebounds, he was essentially a non-factor elsewhere. Simply put, TNT needs a much better version of him if they want to win this series.
