TNT looks to build on its confidence-boosting Game 2 win and take a 2-1 series lead when it battles Barangay Ginebra anew on Sunday in the best-of-seven PBA Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup Finals at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
The Gin Kings took Game 1 by two points, 102-100, on a Justin Brownlee game-winning jumper, but the Tropang 5G retaliated with a 101-94 victory last Friday to tie the series at one win apiece.
Oozing with confidence, TNT will be shooting for the all-import victory in their 7:30 p.m. encounter on Sunday.
Calvin Oftana and import Chris McCullough instigated TNT’s red-hot start in Game 2 that saw the defending champion lead by as many as 21 points, before holding off an expected rally by Ginebra in the fourth period.
“It’s really about not relaxing when you’re up against Ginebra,” said TNT coach Chot Reyes. “They’re NSD (never-say-die) for a reason.”
Other than Oftana and McCullough, TNT will need contributions as well from Roger Pogoy, Rey Nambatac, Jordan Heading and Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser.
For Ginebra coach Tim Cone, he felt officiating was spotty as he wondered why Best Import candidate Justin Brownlee only went four times to the foul line despite being on attack mode in Game 2.
“We didn’t get a break from the referees. I usually don’t complain, but tonight I felt the crew was not a good crew,” Cone said. “Justin had four free throws. He took only three threes, stayed around the basket all night, but he wasn’t getting the call.”
Game 2 stats show that TNT went to the foul line 25 times and converted 22 free throws. On the other hand, Ginebra shot 9-of-10 from the charity stripe.
Nonetheless, Cone said not all are to be pinned on officiating, citing the team’s need to come out with a better effort moving forward.
“That came down to the fact that we just didn’t show up. Three assists in the first, zero in the second. That’s not just us,” said the PBA’s all-time winningest coach.
The 6-foot-4 Brownlee will surely be aggressive, along with Best Player of the Conference top candidate RJ Abarrientos in Game 3.
However, the Gin Kings will have to draw all-around effort as well from Scottie Thompson, Troy Rosario, Japeth Aguilar and shock troopers like Ralph Cu, Stephen Holt, Jeremiah Gray and Nard Pinto.
