TNT strikes back at GSM, levels PBA Finals at 2-all

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

The TNT Tropang 5G pulled off a much-needed bounce-back win over Barangay Ginebra, 106-98, in Game 4 of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup finals on June 10, 2026, at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

With the momentum-boosting victory, coach Chot Reyes’ wards knotted the championship series at 2-all, avoiding a 1-3 hole while forcing the finals into a nip-and-tuck best-of-three affair.

After a tightly contested first half, the Tropang 5G finally pulled away late in the third, establishing their biggest lead of the ballgame at 20 points, 90-70.

Spearheading TNT’s crucial scoring avalanche was shooting guard Jordan Heading, who sparked a 19-4 run in the fourth quarter that protected the Tropang 5G’s double-digit lead.

When Ginebra attempted a miraculous run behind the scoring lift from Justin Brownlee and RJ Abarrientos, TNT played spoiler and answered those scoring spurts through Chris McCullough and Jayson Castro.

Brownlee’s back-to-back baskets trimmed Ginebra’s deficit to just 11 points, but McCullough countered with a demoralizing 3-pointer, followed by Castro’s interior attack that helped TNT restore order.

The game of runs continued after Scottie Thompson found ways to locate Brownlee off the pin-down on the left baseline, resulting in several step-back perimeter jumpers.

Just when Ginebra thought it could replicate its Game 1 magic, the one-two punch of Heading and McCullough erased its come-from-behind aspirations by burying cold-blooded baskets inside the final three minutes of the game.

Heading was a man on a mission for the Tropang 5G after top-scoring for his team with 29 points on 5-of-7 shooting from downtown, including eight assists and six rebounds.

After a slow start in the first two quarters, McCullough responded with urgency in the second half to end up with a double-double of 24 markers, 14 boards, and five dimes.

Castro turned back the hands of time with 14 points, while Calvin Oftana, who produced only a deuce in Game 3, redeemed himself with 12 points.

On the other hand, Brownlee led all scorers with 32 points, five rebounds, and five assists, but his individual offensive brilliance wasn’t enough to steer the Gin Kings to a commanding 3-1 series lead.