Ginebra sets up finals rematch with TNT after outlasting SMB

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

The Barangay Ginebra San Miguel booked another PBA Governor’s Cup finals ticket after outdueling the San Miguel Beermen, 102-99, in Game 6 of their semifinal clash on October 20, 2024, at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.

After trailing by as much as 10 points in the game, the Gin Kings once again roared with their never-say-die mantra and outplayed the Beermen in the second half to officially wrap up the semifinal series win in six games.

Eager to force a do-or-die Game 7, the Beermen struck first in the game and banked on the paint dominance of their reinforcement EJ Anosike.

Anosike was in the zone since the opening buzzer sounded, giving the SMB hopefuls a sigh of relief after an ankle injury scare he suffered at the end of Game 4.

Just when the Beermen thought they could replicate their playbook of sticking to their size advantage, Ginebra head coach Tim Cone deployed his counter at the start of the third by going for a small-ball lineup once again that disrupted SMB’s rhythm.

From that sequence, everything just went clicking for the Gin Kings as the duo of Maverick Ahanmisi and resident import Justin Brownlee provided the much-needed fourth-quarter offensive scoring to close out the series.

Ahanmisi was steady all game long and put up his best game of the series when he was the beneficiary of Ginebra’s kick-out passes in the three-point territory.

Meanwhile, Brownlee dropped nine markers alone in the fourth, including the biggest trey of the game that pushed Ginebra’s lead to 102-98, with only 1:35 remaining in the game.

The Beermen had the chance to equalize the ball game and force overtime but Jericho Cruz’s game-tying attempt went off the mark and bounced strong out the rim.

Ahanmisi top-scored for the Gin Kings after contributing 25 points, while Brownlee wrapped up the series-clincher with an all-around outing of 21 markers, seven rebounds, seven assists, three steals, and two blocks.

It wasn’t just a two-man show for the Gin Kings as the trio of Japeth Aguilar, Scottie Thompson, and RJ Abarrientos also balled out in the bright lights and added 20, 10, and 16 points, respectively.

On the other hand, Anosike rendered his last game as SMB’s import with a dominant 30-point performance alongside nine rebounds and five dimes while June Mar Fajardo chipped in 22 points.

With the win, the Gin Kings just set up an import-laced conference finals rematch against the TNT Tropang Giga, the team that defeated them two years ago.

Brownlee will also seek his revenge on Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, who will still lead the Tropang Giga alongside its veteran core of RR Pogoy, Jayson Castro, Calvin Oftana, and Poy Erram.