Ginebra plays big on both ends to chop TNT lead to 2-1

Scottie Thompson–MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

Barangay Ginebra took its turn on choking the life out of TNT on Friday night to finally put itself on the board in the PBA Governors’ Cup Finals after a well-earned Game 3 win.

And coach Tim Cone is hoping that the 85-73 win before a big All Saints’ Day crowd at Smart Araneta Coliseum is the spark they need for another signature comeback that the beloved franchise had pulled off in two of its past title runs.

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“We’re finding avenues of escape and turning [the series] into a defensive struggle,” Cone said after the lowest-scoring contest thus far in the best-of-seven series, which the Gin Kings still trail, 2-1, after losses in the first two games.

Ginebra turned the tables on TNT this time, forcing Tropang Giga import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson to take contested shots while never giving him the chance to be comfortable especially in the final seven minutes.

And in turn, Justin Brownlee was able to get a pair of crucial shots amid his struggles throughout the Finals. He also got some crucial support from guys like the veteran LA Tenorio.

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Brownlee finished with 18 points with 13 rebounds while also making key stops on Hollis-Jefferson in the waning moments, while Tenorio played his first game of the series and put up nine points in 16 minutes as a starter.

Maverick Ahanmisi also contributed 16 points, and Scottie Thompson added 15 points, five rebounds and four assists.

Hollis-Jefferson scored 24 points for TNT but shot just 8-of-26 from the field, though his effort on both ends helped keep his team in the thick of the fight before that decisive stretch in the final canto.

And if the Gin Kings get a repeat on Sunday at the same venue, visions of comeback efforts that basically gave birth to the “Never Say Die” mantra will certainly be on the horizon.

Robert Jaworski was the playing coach in the 1991 First Conference title series, where they trailed Shell, 3-1.

But Ginebra refused to give up, taking Games 5 and 6 to force a decider, which Rudy Distrito won for Ginebra by hitting a difficult fallaway with a second left to secure the team’s third PBA crown.

That was the biggest rally in a title series in the league before San Miguel erased a 3-0 deficit against Alaska to win in 2013.

Dante Gonzalgo, Chito Loyzaga, Dondon Amplayado, Leo Isaac, Rey Cuenco, Philip Cezar and import Jervis Cole were the other members of that iconic Ginebra team, while the great duo of Benjie Paras and Ronnie Magsanoc were left to join Shell in dealing with the agony of defeat.

Second time it happened

Sixteen years later saw coach Jong Uichico and Ginebra facing his former club San Miguel, which was then handled by current TNT mentor Chot Reyes.

Reyes had Uichico’s old reliables in Danny Seigle and Danny Ildefonso, and a deep squad also composed of Lordy Tugade, Rommel Adducul, Dondon Hontiveros, Dorian Pena, Gabby Espinas and a young rookie out of Ateneo in LA Tenorio.

San Miguel won Games 1 and 2, but Ginebra, powered by Best Player of the Conference Mark Caguioa, Jayjay Helterbrand, Rudy Hatfield, Eric Menk, Sunday Salvacion, Ronald Tubid, Mark Macapagal, Raffy Reavis, Billy Mamaril and Johnny Abarrientos came back to win four in a row. INQ