Gin Kings strike back

MANILA, Philippines — Barangay Ginebra outlasted TNT in a wild Game 2 encounter, 71-70, to tie the PBA Season finals series at 1-1 last night in front of a 12,925-strong crowd at the MOA Arena.

The Gin Kings got a bit of momentum when the Tropang Giga coughed a record-low four points in the second quarter, relinquished the lead in the fourth but salvaged it on Justin Brownlee’s clutch plays and their shutout defense against Rondae Hollis-Jefferson in the dying seconds.

“They just showed true grit all the way through the game,” said Ginebra coach Tim Cone. “We knew if we’re going to have a chance in the series, we have to show that character and that true grit.”

The Gin Kings led by as many as 15 at 34-19 early in the third and even held a 64-56 upperhand going to the last 7:03 of the fourth.

But the Tropang Giga finally started to hit it from long distance and wrested control at 70-67 with 2:31 left. Then Brownlee came to the rescue, scoring on an acrobatic layup and converting his two free throws later for a one-point cushion.

Stephen Holt and Co. then stopped Hollis-Jefferson twice in the last 46.9 ticks to seal the strike-back to TNT’s 95-89 Game 1 win.

Brownlee logged 35 markers and 11 boards in the equalizer as Scottie Thompson had 16-12.

RHJ finished with 25 plus 15 rebounds for the Tropang Giga, who nearly survived a horrible second-quarter showing.

TNT’s four-point tally on a 2-of-22 field goal shooting in the second supplanted San Miguel Beer’s five-point card also in the Quarter 2 in Game 7 of the 2019 Philippine Cup championship against Magnolia as the new all-time low.

The Tropang Giga’s first-half aggregate of 19 also replaced the 21 of Shell in a 64-74 loss to eventual champ SMB in Game 6 of the 1999 Commissioner’s Cup finale.