TNT holds off Ginebra to even PBA Finals

Sports

A STRONG start and a solid endgame composure proppelled the TNT Tropang 5G to a crucial win as they clipped the Barangay Ginebra Kings, 101-94, in Game 2 of the 50th PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals on Friday night, June 5, at the Araneta Coliseum.

Bouncing back from a sorry 100-102 loss in Game 1, the defending champions Tropa tied the series at 1-1, with the crucial Game 3 set on Sunday, June 7.

After producing just 12 points in Game 1, Calvin Oftana came to life, leading the Tropa’s series-tying win with a season-high 31 points and 10 rebounds.

Oftana went 5-of-10 from three-point range.

Chris McCullough finished with 19 points and 16 rebounds, Jordan Heading added 14, Rey Nambatac, RR Pogoy, and Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser each tallied 10 points in a balanced attack that helped the Tropa erect leads as high as 21 points.

Displaying their trademark never-say-die attitude, Ginebra staged a furious rally in the fourth and rallied within four points.

Oftana capped his game-long briliance by hitting two free throws with 18.7 left that gave the Tropa more breathing space, 100-94.

Justin Brownlee and RJ Abarrientos combined for 45 points to lead Ginebra, which only got eight points from former MVP Scottie Thompson.

THE SCORES:

TNT (101) – Oftana 31, McCullough 19, Heading 14, Nambatac 10, Pogoy 10, Rosser 10, Castro 5, Williams 2, Khobuntin 0, Aurin 0.

GINEBRA (94) – Brownlee 24, Abarrientos 21, Gray 13, Go 10, Thompson 8, Rosario 6, Torres 5, Abis 4, Cu 2, Holt 1, Pinto 0.QUARTERSCORES: 27-12, 48-33, 78-59, 101-94.(CCM)