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Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider Basketball devider TNT, Ginebra eye Finals rematch

TNT, Ginebra eye Finals rematch

Published Mar 6, 2025 07:10 am

At A Glance

  • TNT and Barangay Ginebra go for the finishing blows as they try to book a Finals rematch in the PBA Season 49 Commissioner's Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, Friday, March 7.

TNT and Barangay Ginebra go for the finishing blows as they try to book a Finals rematch in the PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, Friday, March 7.

PBA Images4 (92).jpg
 

Failing to complete a sweep the last time out, the Kings try it again against the NorthPort Batang Pier in the first offering at 5 p.m. while the Tropang Giga, after getting the momentum back, go for the jugular against the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters at 7:30 p.m. 

Should the two teams, now holding a commanding 3-1 leads, finally dispose of their foes, it will be another installment of the marquee import duel between Justin Brownlee and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson. The Kings and the Tropa also met in Season 49 Governors’ Cup with the latter ending up raising the trophy in six games.

But out to foil their plans are the Batang Pier and the Elasto Painters who are both looking to pull off a comeback of great proportion in the semifinals series.

NorthPort actually had already done the first step to its goal when it squeezed past Ginebra, 108-103, in Game 4 to recover from a 0-3 series deficit and, hopefully, win it all – something that only one team in the history of basketball managed to pull off – the San Miguel Beermen back in 2015.

The Batang Pier, after three subpar performances in the series, somehow, came up with a much better fight with Arvin Tolentino and Joshua Munzon getting back to their forms along with the boost from William Navarro and Paolo Taha to help import Kadeem Jack.

“Hopefully, magtuloy-tuloy yung magandang laro namin. Like today, we had 28 assists. From the next game up to the last, we really have to just find a way to win,” said Tolentino who finally broke out of his own shooting slump with 20 points in Game 4.

“Ito na yung nauna. And three more. Mukhang imposible, pero wala naman imposible,” he added.

Likewise, Rain or Shine is also trying to achieve what seems to be an impossible task as it looks to recover from a 3-1 deficit.

Deon Thompson did everything he could with his best scoring of 44 points in the PBA although it came at a time when the locals struggled with their shots.

Momentum is certainly on the side of TNT, which after losing its heart and soul Jayson Castro to a season-ending injury, now has found its leaders in RR Pogoy and Calvin Oftana to carry the cudgels in the pivotal 93-85 Game 4 win.

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