By REYNALD MAGALLON
TNT came back swinging with its torrid outside shooting, resetting the PBA Finals record in three-point makes with 21 to whip Ginebra, 116-104, in Game 4 of the best-of-seven affair in the 2023 Governors’ Cup on Sunday, April 16.
After being mauled by the Kings with 18 triples in Game 3, the Tropang Giga fired back right in the first half as they drilled 12 three-pointers, eclipsing their 11 treys from the previous game in just two quarters.
Four TNT players actually nailed four triples each while import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson buried a conference-high three treys as the Tropang Giga seized control of the contest in the first half and never looked back to keep the Ginebra faithful in the 16,203 crowd silent.
Jayson Castro, Mikey Williams, Kib Montalbo and Calvin Oftana were the players who connected from the distance while Glenn Khobuntin had a couple to help TNT level the series, 2-2.
Hollis-Jefferson led the charge for TNT with 36 points and 10 rebounds while Oftana bounced back from a dismal Game 3 showing with 16 points. Castro and Williams chipped in 17 and 16 points, respectively
Montalbo also stepped up in the absence of RR Pogoy who was out for the series due to a fractured pinky finger with 16 points as a starter.
A huge second quarter flurry set the tone for TNT’s rout, opening the frame on a 19-2 outburst, led by Oftana to establish the biggest lead of the contest at 23, 48-25.
Justin Brownlee and Scottie Thompson tried to carry the fight for the Kings but the Tropang Giga’s shooting was just too hot to handle as they delivered seven more triples in the third frame to keep Ginebra at bay.
Bad even turned to worse for Ginebra when Brownlee picked up his fifth foul late in the third frame forcing head coach Tim Cone to play all-Filipino up until the early goings of the final frame.
Brownlee finished with 28 points while Thompson added 22 points on six triples as the Kings were decent from deep with 15 treys.
Jamie Malonzo added 17 although notably missing in the game was the production of newly-minted Best Player of the Conference Christian Standhardinger who could only muster 10 points and three rebounds although he had nine assists.
The scores:
TNT 116 – Hollis-Jefferson 36, Castro 17, M.Williams 16, Oftana 16, Montalbo 16, Khobuntin 8, Erram 2, K.Williams 2, Ganuelas-Rosser 2, Varilla 1, Tungcab 0, Marcelo 0.
GINEBRA 104 – Brownlee 28, Thompson 22, Malonzo 17, Pringle 10, Standhardinger 10, Pessumal 10, Mariano 3, David 2, J.Aguilar 2, Onwubere 0, Gray 0, Pinto 0, R.Aguilar 0.
Quarters: 29-23, 59-41, 95-77, 116-104.
