Barangay Ginebra needed 5 extra minutes but proved steadier in overtime to beat TNT Tropang Giga, 100-94, Sunday, November 29 at the Angeles University Foundation Sports Arena & Cultural Center Powered by Smart 5G.
Ginebra thus took a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven Finals of the 2020 Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup.
TNT focused its defense on Stanley Pringle but left LA Tenorio to wheel and deal for Ginebra late in the game.
Tenorio drew the TNT defenders then passed the ball to open teammates – Aljon Mariano and Japeth Aguilar – who converted easy field goals to power the Gin Kings to the hard-earned overtime victory.
Ginebra coach Tim Cone said Tenorio stepped up for the team because the TNT defense focused so much on Pringle.
“They (TNT) defended Stanley (Pringle) well. So we handed the ball to LA. He wanted that ball and we gave it to him. In LA we trust. He’s been there for so long. He’s used to that situation where he has the ball in his hands and he can make plays,” said Cone.
Tenorio finished with a double-double of 12 points, 10 assists and 5 rebounds.
Aguilar however had the gaudier numbers with 25 points, 16 rebounds, 1 assist and 1 block to win Player of the Game honors.
Ray Parks led TNT with 20 points, 5 steals, 4 rebounds and 2 blocks on 43 minutes 58 seconds of burn. But he just wasn’t the dominant player that he was when he led TNT past Phoenix Super LPG in the Semifinals.
TNT had a chance to win the game in regulation period but just could not complete the final play to win.
Pringle converted a turnaround jumper to push Ginebra ahead 90-88. Jayson Castro countered with a triple to push TNT ahead by a point, 90-91.
Pringle tried to score for Ginebra and went one-on-one against Parks but lost control of the ball handing possession to TNT with 23 seconds left to play.
Pringle sent Parks to the free throw line. Parks could only convert one of two free throws to push TNT ahead by 2 points, 90-92, with 11 seconds left to play.
Tenorio penetrated which drew the TNT defenders. He then dished to a cutting Arvin Tolentino who converted the layup to tie the count at 92-92 with 4 seconds to go.
Castro missed the final attempt for TNT which sent the game to overtime.
Showtime came early for Parks. He collected the ball from a loose ball scrum and drove the length of the court while being trailed by Tolentino. Parks elevated and dunked the ball which bounced on the head of Tolentino twice before sailing out of bounds.
This put TNT ahead by 2 points, 18-16, early in the first quarter.
TNT’s Roger Pogoy drilled a three-pointer but Ginebra’s Mariano countered with a jumper as the Tropang Giga went on to hold a five-point, 27-22, advantage after the first period.
Ginebra tightened its defense while ramping up its offense in the second quarter. Pringle split his charities as Ginebra outscored TNT, 19-14, in the second period to tie the count at 41-41 at halftime.
Ginebra continued to limit the TNT offense. Tenorio drilled an open three-pointer to cap a 19-10 Ginebra start which propelled the Gin Kings to a 60-51 advantage with 6:44 to go in the third.
Parks brought TNT back into the fray. He drilled a pair of three-pointers then added 2 free throws to cut the Ginebra lead to a point, 60-59, with 3:24 to go in the third.
TNT would eventually grab the initiative and hold a 71-66 advantage after three quarters.
Simon Enciso drilled a three-pointer which shoved TNT ahead by two points, 78-76. Aguilar countered almost immediately scoring on a short jumper to tie the count, 78-all, with 6:40 to go in the game.
Parks drove in then dished to Poy Erram who scored from underneath to push TNT ahead by two points 80-78.
Tenorio then scored from short distance, 80-80.
Roger Pogoy engineered a two-man game with Erram throwing the ball near the hoop just close enough to Erram who pushed it into the goal to push TNT ahead by 2 points, 82-80, leading to the final sequence which resulted in a tied score after regulation.
The Scores:
Barangay Ginebra 100 – Japeth Aguilar 25, Stanley Pringle 24, Scottie Thompson 15, Arvin Tolentino 14, LA Tenorio 12, Aljon Mariano 6, Jeff Chan 2, Joe Devance 2, Jared Dillinger 0, Prince Caperal 0.
TNT Tropang Giga 94 – Ray Parks 20, Roger Pogoy 19, Jay Washington 14, Jayson Castro 12, Poy Erram 10, Simon Enciso 9, Troy Rosario 8, Dave Semerad 2, Ryan Reyes 0, Kib Montalbo 0.
Quarter Scores: 22-27, 41-41, 66-71, 92-92, 100-94 OT.
