Tropang Giga prevail in Game 6 to stay alive vs Gin Kings

MANILA, Philippines -- Off to a Game 7, we go.

The TNT Tropang Giga forced a winner-take-all Game 7 of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals after keeping Barangay Ginebra at bay, 87-83, Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson stood tall for TNT with 29 points, 13 rebounds, six assists and three steals. He fought a hard hit in the second quarter which left him wobbled, but he played all 48 minutes. Rey Nambatac added 23 markers to go with five boards, three steals and a dime. 

Ginebra was leading by just one, 63-62, at the end of the third quarter after a buzzer-beating 4-pointer by Nambatac.

This sparked the Tropang Giga, as they started the fourth quarter with a 9-0 run capped by five straight points by Erram to grab a 72-62 lead.

A layup by Scottie Thompson halted the run, but shots by Nambatac and Erram kept TNT ahead.

Ginebra, though, relied on big shots from Brownlee down the stretch to slowly get out of that hole, cutting the deficit to just one, 79-80, with 1:05 remaining.

A pair of free throws by Hollis-Jefferson kept Ginebra at arm’s length, 82-79, with 45.1 seconds to go.

On the other end, Japeth Aguilar missed a corner 3-pointer that would have tied things up. Ginebra was able to get possession back, but Brownlee lost the ball and was tied up, as TNT forced a jumpball with exactly 25 seconds left.

The Tropang Giga were able to secure possession. Erram was then fouled, missing the first and making the second with 21.1 seconds remaining.

In the next possession, Brownlee also split his free throws. Erram caromed the rebound and sank both this time around to give the Tropang Giga an insurmountable 85-80 advantage with 16.0 seconds left.

Thompson, then, hit an off-the-glass triple to cut the lead to two, 83-85. Hollis-Jefferson was quickly fouled and missed both free throws. 

However, Erram tipped the ball out and went to the import’s hands anew.
This time, Hollis-Jefferson sank both freebies, icing the game and setting the final score.

Mav Ahanmisi was then fouled, but he missed the first free throw. He was forced to miss the second, and Ginebra was able to grab the offensive board, but Thompson’s  Hail Mary 4-point attempt missed. 

Calvin Oftana and Erram had 14 markers apiece. The former had eight boards, four dimes and three pilfers, while the latter had six rebounds and 10 points in the fourth quarter alone. 

Brownlee finished with 22 points, seven rebounds, four assists and two blocks on an ultra-efficient 9-of-10 shooting from the field, but he had seven turnovers and missed four of his six turnovers. Thompson and RJ Abarrientos had 12 each. 

Aguilar and Stephen Holt had 11 each for Ginebra, who shot 33-of-68 from the field, but shot just 9-of-16 from the free throw line. TNT, on the other hand, made 30 of their 72 field goals, but had a 15-of-24 clip from the charity stripe. 

Game 7 will be on Friday, 7:30 p.m., at the same venue.