MANILA — The Barangay Ginebra Kings escaped with a heart-stopping 106-103 victory over the TNT KaTropa Friday night to take a 2-1 lead in their best-of-five PBA Governors’ Cup semifinal series.
The Gin Kings could wrap up the series with a win Sunday night. If that happens they would set up a rematch with the Meralco Bolts, the team they beat in six games in last season’s Governors’ Cup.
Joe Devance nailed two clutch putbacks, the last one giving Ginebra a five-point lead, 105-100, with 33 ticks remaining. After Justin Brownlee split his free throws to pad the Gin Kings’ lead to four points, TNT’s Glen Rice Jr. responded with a huge three-pointer to slash Ginebra’s lead to three, 106-103, with 14 seconds remaining.
In the ensuing play, Ginebra’s Scottie Thompson missed two free throws, giving TNT a chance to send the game into overtime. The huge crowd that filled the Smart-Araneta Coliseum had to hold their breath as Rice, with five seconds left, fired from way out with Brownlee on his face. But the ball rimmed out as time expired, as the Gin Kings and their humongous fans heaved a huge sigh of relief.
Devance led Ginebra with 20 points, four boards and three assists in over 36 minutes of play. Greg Slaughter finished with 18 markers and six caroms. Brownlee and Thompson added 17 points apiece. Both had a double-double with Brownlee collecting 13 rebounds along with four assists while the high-leaping Thompson collected 12 boards and two dimes. LA Tenorio added 16 points, nine rebounds and eight assists.
The Gin Kings attacked the rim from the get-go, forcing the Texters to commit 30 fouls to just 23 for Ginebra, translating to 30 Ginebra free throws compared to TNT’s 12, in the first half, which the Gin Kings took, 60-49.
Ginebra erected a 13-point lead early in the second half, but TNT kept coming back behind the heroics of Rice, who exploded for 44 points, 15 of them in the final period. A Rice putback gave the Texters the lead, 98-96, with 3:37 left.
But Brownlee, Thompson and Devance nailed a series of shots that kept the Texters at bay, leading to the climactic final seconds of the game.
The loss spoiled another monster game for Rice who also racked up 20 rebounds, six assists, two steals and a block in over 44 minutes of action. Jayson Castro had a near triple double of 17 points, nine boards and nine assists. Kelly Williams and Anthony Semerad added 10 markers apiece that all went for naught.
Game Sunday: Barangay Ginebra Kings vs. TNT KaTropa Texters (Game 4, best-of-5 semifinals; Ginebra leads 2-1).
