Waxing hot Ginebra torches TNT to level PBA Finals series at 2-2

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

Barangay Ginebra was all guns blazing and drowned the TNT Tropang Giga with their best scoring output in the ongoing PBA Governor’s Cup Finals, 106-92, on November 3, 2024, at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.

After three sub-par performances from the three-point line, the Gin Kings finally regained their shooting stroke and torched the Tropang Giga with nine drained treys, capping off the pivotal Game 4 win with a 47% finish from downtown.

With the much-needed win, Ginebra clawed their way back from a 0-2 series deficit and handed the Tropang Giga their first back-to-back losing streak in the entire import-laced conference playoffs.

It was an impressive wire-to-wire win for the Gin Kings after immediately jumping to the driver’s seat after the first 12 minutes of action.

With Justin Brownlee shooting crazy from the field to open the game, Ginebra knew they were in a comfortable spot heading into the next three quarters of Game 4.

Ginebra’s resident import already fired 12 points in the opening quarter and ended the Game 4 victory with a game-high 34-point performance, derived from an efficient 11/16 from the field, including three treys.

This was the best offensive start for Brownlee in the entire series after struggling to find his form in the last three games, only missing a single attempt from downtown while also making two four-pointers.

Aside from Brownlee’s individual heroics, the Gin Kings also had an equal distribution in their offense as the trio of Maverick Ahanmisi, Stephen Holt, and Japeth Aguilar each chipped in 18 markers.

The trio went big in the second and third quarters when Brownlee sat down for a short period of rest, picking up where he left off to help protect Ginebra’s lead.

Despite a huge game from TNT’s Rondae Hollis-Jefferson who was just crowned as this conference’s Best Import, the Tropang Giga just failed to find answers to Ginebra’s crisp offensive performance.

The leftie reinforcement finished the game with an all-around performance of 28 points, nine boards, four dimes, and two steals but it was only Calvin Oftana who provided the much-needed offensive support for Jefferson.

Oftana, who was shooting lights out the whole game, delivered 26 markers for TNT, his best-scoring display of the championship series.

Both teams will meet again on November 6, 2024, for the crucial Game 5 showdown, still to be played at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.