PBA Finals: TNT spoils Ginebra fightback to equalize series, 1-1

TNT turned back a gritty fightback from Barangay Ginebra to escape with a 101-94 win and even the PBA Season 50 Commissioner's Cup finals series at one game apiece on Friday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Calvin Oftana sparked the early lead while Jordan Heading and Chris McCullough helped hold off the Gin Kings late in the fourth quarter as TNT, which unleashed a similar comeback attempt in the series opener last Wednesday but fell short, equalized the series at 1-1.

Oftana posted a team-high 31 points, nine rebounds, and one assist while McCullough churned out a double-double effort of 19 markers and 16 boards together with four dimes, two steals, and two blocks.

"We kept reminding the players not to let out guards down because we know the caliber a team that Ginebra has, they always come back," TNT head coach Chot Reyes said,

"They got good production from their bench with (John) Abis, (Jeremiah) Gray and Isaac (Go). That's the convecrsation that we're going to have in the dugout."

Oftana, who had the chance to tie the game and force an overtime in Game 1, atoned for that misstep and started hot this time. His triple sent TNT to a 27-12 start to open Game 2 before his nine-point outing in the second period allowed the Tropang 5G to take a 48-33 cushion.

Oftana drilled another three-pointer to open the fourth while RR Pogoy hit one of his own to send TNT to a 90-71 advantage as Ginebra continued to misfire.

But Ginebra dug deep to stage a comeback with its bench answering the call.

Jeremiah Gray knocked down a four-point bucket, then buried a triple to cut the gap to 12 before his layup further trimmed the deficit to just 10, 92-82.

The red-hot RJ Abarrientos then unleashed a familiar takeover by hitting back-to-back triples to pull the Gin Kings to within seven, 95-88. But Heading stopped the bleeding for TNT by draining a corner triple off a McCullough pass to send the defending champions to another 10-point edge.

Ginebra cut the gap further to four when Abarrientos and rookie John Abis powered a 6-0 run, 98-94, in the final 58.6 ticks. But TNT held on with Oftana and McCullough sinking the last three free throws to seal the escape act.

Abarrientos, who was well-defended in the first three quarter, still finished with 21 points together with three rebounds, three assists, and two steals while Justin Brownlee had 24 markers, 15 boards, and three dimes.

The scores:

TNT 101 - Oftana 31, McCullough 19, Heading 14, Pogoy 10, Ganuelas-Rosser 10, Nambatac 10, Castro 5, Williams 2, Khobuntin 0, Aurin 0.

Ginebra 94 - Brownlee 24, Abarrientos 21, Gray 13, Go 10, Thompson 8, Rosario 6, Torres 5, Abis 4, Cu 2, Holt 1, Aguilar 0, Pinto 0.

Quarters: 27-12, 48-33, 78-59, 101-94.

—JMB, GMA News