MANILA — Nard John Pinto delivered the biggest shots of his career when it mattered most, drilling two momentum-shifting three-pointers in the fourth quarter to propel Barangay Ginebra San Miguel to an 88-76 victory over TNT Tropang 5G in Game 7 and capture the PBA Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup championship Wednesday night at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
With TNT threatening to mount a comeback and much of the defensive attention focused on stars Justin Brownlee and Scottie Thompson, Pinto emerged as Ginebra’s unlikely hero, knocking down backbreaking triples that helped the Gin Kings secure their first title in three years.
The veteran guard, a former Arellano University standout, said he anticipated getting open looks because TNT prioritized shutting down Ginebra’s primary scorers.
“Ako lagi ang na-o-open kasi nag-aano (namimili) sila kung sino ang io-open,” Pinto told reporters after the game. “So nilagay ko sa isip ko na next time ako na naman ang ma-o-open.”
Pinto’s first crucial basket came early in the fourth quarter when he buried a corner three-pointer to stretch Ginebra’s lead to 73-65.
As TNT attempted to rally, Pinto struck again from beyond the arc with 3:04 remaining, pushing the Kings’ advantage to 80-74 and effectively extinguishing the Tropang 5G’s comeback hopes.
“That time talagang tinira ko na dahil open. Sobrang blessed lang talaga na pumasok yung tira ko,” said Pinto, who finished with six points and two rebounds while hitting two of his five attempts from three-point range.
Beyond his timely shooting, Pinto also made an impact on the defensive end after being tasked to guard TNT sniper Jordan Heading, helping contain the prolific shooter in the final quarter after Heading erupted for 11 points in the third period.
“Ang tagal ko na dito sa PBA. Lahat ng role nadaanan ko na. Yun ang trabaho ko, off the bench, dapat ready. Anytime na ipasok ako basta ibigay ko lang ang best ko,” he said.
The championship marked Pinto’s third title with Ginebra and another memorable chapter in his long PBA career.
“Same-same lang naman kasi masarap yung feeling na ganito. Hindi mo ma-describe sa words, e,” he said./PN
