Tropang Giga rout Gin Kings to take Game 1

ANTIPOLO, Rizal – The TNT Tropang Giga drew first blood in the PBA Governors’ Cup finals after decimating Barangay Ginebra, 104-88, Sunday at the Ynares Center here.

TNT ran away late in the third quarter and blasted away in the fourth frame to go up 1-0 in the best-of-seven championship series.

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson had a double-double in the win with 19 points, 10 rebounds and four assists to go with three blocks and a steal. Rey Nambatac fired away in his first-ever Finals game, finishing with 18 points, 10 rebounds, seven assists and two steals.

After trailing by double digits in the first half, Ginebra cut the deficit to just five, 55-60, with 4:39 remaining in the third quarter.

TNT ended the canto with a 12-3 run to go up 72-58, before Japeth Aguilar and Stephen Holt teamed up to cut the deficit to 10, 62-72, heading into the fourth quarter.

Come the final period, the Tropang Giga unleashed a 17-7 blitz capped by a RR Pogoy layup to push the lead to 20, 89-69, with 7:29 to go.

A 6-0 mini-run by the Gin Kings cut the lead to 14, 75-89, but a costly goaltend call on Stephen Holt shifted the momentum back to the Tropang Giga.

After Holt hit a jumper to regain the 14-point deficit, Glenn Khobuntin hit a massive triple with 4:32 remaining to keep Ginebra at bay, 94-77.

Calvin Oftana and Nambatac then put the finishing touches down the stretch to secure the victory.

The Tropang Giga capitalized on a cold shooting night from the Gin Kings, sinking 10 3-pointers through three quarters while Ginebra missed all 18 shots from beyond the arc heading into the fourth.

RJ Abarrientos hit the Gin Kings’ first 3-pointer at the 11:17 mark of the final canto, but it failed to spark his team from rainbow country.

Poy Erram had 15 markers and four boards, while Castro scored 12 of his 14 points in the third quarter. 

Justin Brownlee spearheaded Ginebra with 23 points, seven rebounds and six assists.

TNT shot 39-of-74 from the field, good for 52.7% shooting with 12 3-pointers. The Gin Kings, on the other hand, made just 30 of their 77 field goals. 

Game 2 of the series will be on Wednesday, 7:30 p.m., at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.