MANILA — Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings leaned on composure and timely shooting to claw back from a 16-point hole and outlast the Titan Ultra Giant Risers, 108-105, on Sunday night, locking up the No. 5 spot and a quarterfinal berth in the Philippine Basketball Association Season 50 Philippine Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Facing elimination pressure, the Gin Kings erased a sluggish first half by igniting a third-quarter rally sparked by outside shooting from Stephen Holt and Jeth Troy Rosario, trimming the deficit to 73-75 and shifting momentum heading into the payoff period.
Ginebra then seized control in the fourth behind the steady play of Rhon Jay Abarrientos, Norbert Torres, Jayson David, and Earl Scottie Thompson, opening a 92-82 cushion that proved crucial despite a late scare.
The Giant Risers mounted a final push through four-point bombs from Joshua Munzon and Calvin Abueva, cutting the gap to 105-106, before Abarrientos calmly knocked down the insurance basket to seal the win.
Holt paced the Gin Kings with 27 points, Abarrientos added 24, while Ralph Cu, Thompson, and Rosario chipped in 12, 11, and 10 points, respectively, as Barangay Ginebra San Miguel closed the eliminations in fifth place.
The result sets up a quarterfinal clash with the fourth-ranked Converge FiberXers, with Ginebra carrying a twice-to-win disadvantage.
Munzon led Titan Ultra Giant Risers with 31 points, while Abueva and Aris Dionisio finished with 26 and 14, respectively, in a losing effort that ended their campaign.
Meanwhile, TNT Tropang 5G fended off repeated comeback bids by Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots to post a 94-83 victory and secure the twice-to-beat incentive in the quarterfinals.
Jordan Heading fired 24 points, highlighted by two four-point shots, to earn Player of the Game honors as TNT finished the eliminations with an 8-3 record. Calvin Oftana added 17 points and nine rebounds, while Rey Nambatac and Kelly Williams scored 11 apiece, with Roger Pogoy contributing 10 points./PN
