MANILA – Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings relied on a massive fourth quarter breakaway to defeat TNT Tropang Giga, 117-103, in Game 3 of the 2022-2023 PBA Governors’ Cup Finals last night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
From an 88-all deadlock with over eight minutes left, the Gin Kings got back-to-back triples from Justin Brownlee and Jamie Malonzo and a layup from Earl Scottie Thompson to take a 96-90 lead.
The Tropang Giga cut the deficit to 92-96 on a layup by Rondae Hollis-Jefferson but three straight treys by Stanley Pringle, Malonzo and Brownlee and a three-point play by Thompson gave the Gin Kings its largest lead at 117-101.
Brownlee bounced back from a subpar Game 2 with 29 points, including three three-pointers, while Malonzo chipped in double-double 27 points and 10 rebounds as the Gin Kings took a 2-1 edge in the best-of-seven title series.
Pringle contributed 22 points, including 6-of-6 shooting from three-point area, Christian Standhardinger had double-double 16 points and 10 rebounds, while Thompson had 16 points and 10 assists for the defending champions Gin Kings.
Pringle waxed hot in the opening quarter for the Gin Kings with 11 early points, followed by inside conversions from Standhardinger and Brownlee as they established a 29-19 advantage.
The Tropang Giga charged back in the second quarter to erase the 10-point deficit and take a 47-44 lead on a triple by Mikey Williams but conversions from Pringle and Standhardinger allowed the Gin Kings to level the score at 57-all at the half.
The Gin Kings got a slim lead in the third period at 80-76 behind outside conversions from Malonzo and Thompson but the Tropang Giga managed to cut it to two before Brownlee scored six straight points followed by a triple by Malonzo for an 87-81 advantage.
Barangay Ginebra managed just a free throw from Malonzo in the early minutes of the fourth quarter for an 88-81 before the TNT went on a 7-0 blast capped by an inside hit from Hollis-Jefferson to tie the score for the last time at 88-all.
Hollis-Jefferson finished with 32 points, 10 rebounds and six assists, Williams added 19 markers, John Paul Erram and Jayson Castro had 14 points each, while Roger Pogoy managed 13 points for the Tropang Giga.
BOX SCORE:
GINEBRA 117 – Brownlee 29, Malonzo 27, Pringle 22, Standhardinger 16, Thompson 16, Gray 5, J. Aguilar 2, Pinto 0, Mariano 0, Onwubere 0, Pessumal 0.
TNT 103 – Hollis-Jefferson 32, M. Williams 19, Castro 14, Erram 14, Pogoy 13, Khobuntin 6, Oftana 3, Tungcab 2, Marcelo 0, Montalbo 0.
Quarterscores: 29-19, 57-57, 87-81, 117-103./PN
