TNT may have left Game 2 with a broken wall in its dugout but not their spirits.

Rey Nambatac came to the rescue and nailed a clutch triple in the waning seconds as the Tropang Giga pulled off an 87-85 escape against Barangay Ginebra in Game 3 of the PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup finals series at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig City on Wednesday, March 19.

Tied at 82 in the final minute, the Tropang Giga battled for three offensive rebounds before they found Nambatac wide open on the left corner for the go-ahead triple with 30.1 seconds left.

Nambatac erupted with a playoff career-high 24 points, not only to step up in the absence of Jayson Castro but also to help TNT regain control of the series at 2-1 following a highly physical and emotional contest.

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson had 20 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists but none bigger than the game-preserving steal on an errant pass from RJ Abarrientos in the final possession.

Abarrientos and the Kings played without resident import Justin Brownlee for the last one and a half quarter after sustaining a dislocated right thumb at the 6:42 mark of the third.

Brownlee dove for the loose ball off a fallen Calvin Oftana and seemed to have hurted his finger during his fall.

He immediately grimaced in pain as he retreated back to the bench, and later on to the dugout before he was brought to the hospital for further treatment and examination.

Even without Brownlee though, the Kings remained very much in contention even knotting the contest at 82 apiece heading into the final minute.

Ginebra even had the chance to take the lead but the TNT defense held on and forced Stephen Holt to a reverse layup with the shot clock running out.

Oftana, then botched a wide open layup on the other end but the Tropang Giga crashed the board and still had multiple attempts before finding Nambatac for the go-ahead triple.

Brownlee still topscored Ginebra with 19 points, four rebounds and six assists before exiting while Scottie Thompson finished with 15 points, eight rebounds, five assists in a losing effort.