MANILA – It will be Ginebra against TNT in the PBA Governors’ Cup finals.
The Gin Kings knocked out the San Miguel Beermen with a 102-99 semifinal Game 6 win on Sunday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.
A dagger three from Justin Brownlee was enough as the Gin Kings dodged bullets from the Beermen in the end.
Brownlee scored a trey with 1:47 left for a 102-98 cushion, which virtually sealed the deal for Ginebra as SMB struggled in crunch time.
June Mar Fajardo had a chance to inch closer for the Beermen, but he only made a split from the free throw line with 1:34 to go.
Scottie Thompson had his opportunity to stretch the Gin Kings’ lead, but he missed a triple only for CJ Perez to miss his layup that could have cut the lead to one.
June Mar Fajardo then blocked Thompson’s next attempt, opening a chance for the Beermen to go for the win, but EJ Anosike missed his four-point shot while Jericho Cruz’s three-pointer that could have sent Game 6 to overtime also rimmed out as time ran out on their campaign in the season-opening conference.
Maverick Ahanmisi led Ginebra with 25 points, two rebounds, one assist, and one steal, while Brownlee added 21 points, seven rebounds, seven assists, three steals, and two blocks.
Japeth Aguilar contributed 20 points, six rebounds, and one block.
Anosike led SMB with 30 points, nine rebounds, five assists, one steal, and one block, while Fajardo added 22 points, 15 rebounds, four assists, one block, and one steal.
No Halloween break
The Ginebra-TNT championship, a rematch of the 2023 edition won by the latter, will begin next Sunday at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.
The next three games will be played at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, including Game 3 scheduled for November 1 which marks a rare time the PBA will hold a game on All Saints’ Day.
Oftentimes, the league does not set a game or a doubleheader from October 31 to November 2 so its players can use its Halloween break to visit their loved ones who already passed away.
However, it will not be the case this time as the PBA looks to give Gilas Pilipinas, coincidentally coached by Gin Kings mentor Tim Cone, more time to prepare for the November window of the FIBA Asia Cup Qualifiers at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.
Games 5 and 6, if necessary, will also happen at “The Big Dome”.
Game 7 is set for Novvember 10 also at the Ynares Center, which could mean the championship could be clinched there for the first time since Magnolia, then known as Purefoods Star, beat Alaska in Game 6 to win the 2018 PBA Governors’ Cup.
Scores:
GINEBRA 102 – Ahanmisi 25, Brownlee 21, J.Aguilar 20, Abarrientos 16, Thompson 10, Cu 7, Holt 3, mariano 0, Adamos 0
SAN MIGUEL 99 – Anosike 30, Fajardo 22, Lassiter 16, Perez 13, Cruz 8, Trollano 8, Manuel 2, Romeo 0, Ross 0
QUARTERS: 23-27, 46-49, 76-75, 102-99 (PNA)