GIGA GLORY
In the end, it was TNT that had the last laugh. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson spearheaded a stirring comeback with help from Jayson Castro and RR Pogoy, among others, and the Tropang Giga captured the PBA Governors’ Cup title at the expense of Barangay Ginebra before a big crowd on Friday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
TNT took the series-clinching Game 6, 95-85, after losing a double-digit first half and trailing 11 in the third to bag its 10th title, joining an elite circle of great franchises that had collected at least the same number of trophies.
“It was a hell of a series,” said coach Chot Reyes, who had gone through a lot since winning this tournament two seasons ago, including his handling of a disappointing Gilas Pilipinas in the 2023 Fiba World Cup in front of upset home fans.
Hollis-Jefferson had 31 points, 16 rebounds, eight assists and two steals, including crucial stops and baskets during the latter part of the fourth that enabled TNT to pull away and secure the series, 4-2.
“It took a lot of belief from top to bottom—believing that we could do it,” said the American forward, who also helped the team rule the previous staging of this conference. “All the work we put in, it paid off. Chot said we didn’t come this far just to get this far. We got the championship and we’re excited.”
Castro was named Finals Most Valuable Player of the PBA Press Corps after delivering 13 points and six assists, epitomizing his role as the most consistent local of the title showdown. He’s won the award for the third time in his career.
Picked up slack
Pogoy knocked down nine of his 13 in the fourth, all from triples, that eventually set the stage for TNT shutting the door on Ginebra.
Pogoy picked up the slack after Rey Nambatac, who tied the score at 74-all in the fourth on a corner three, picked up his fifth foul.
The Tropang Giga repeated as Governors’ Cup kingpins while making it three titles this decade, and four in the same stretch for teams under the MVP Group—counting Meralco’s triumph in last season’s Philippine Cup.
Ginebra absorbed a second straight Finals defeat to TNT that spoiled a terrific game from rookie RJ Abarrientos, who rose from his slump through the series to deliver a conference-high 31 points.
Behind Abarrientos, Ginebra got back from 31-21 in the second and even led at the break, 43-42. With help from Justin Brownlee, the Gin Kings even bloated the margin to 68-57, making a potential seventh game a possibility.
But Ginebra couldn’t sustain its lead and settled for a runner-up finish after a conference where it made up for a somewhat seesaw group stage with a terrific playoff campaign.
Anchored by heroics after heroics from Brownlee, Ginebra swept old rival Meralco in the quarters, then defeated June Mar Fajardo and San Miguel Beer in six games of the semifinals.
