MANILA, Philippines—In TNT’s successful pursuit of a second-straight PBA Governors’ Cup championship, veteran guard Jayson Castro rose to the occasion.
Castro, playing at the age of 38, showed age couldn’t slow him down as he won the Honda-PBA Press Corps Finals MVP to push the Tropang Giga to another title after six games.
Coach Chot Reyes though, wasn’t too surprised.
Barangay Ginebra coach, players talk about their PBA Finals loss
Japeth Aguilar after their loss in the #PBAFinals. @INQUIRERSports pic.twitter.com/lm8TDCM45e
— Rommel Fuertes Jr. (@MeloFuertesINQ) November 8, 2024
Coach Tim Cone after Ginebra’s loss in the #PBAFinals. @INQUIRERSports pic.twitter.com/efFlsgAIFT
— Rommel Fuertes Jr. (@MeloFuertesINQ) November 8, 2024
TNT, buoyed by its veterans, put out one fire after another on Friday night to take down Barangay Ginebra, 95-85, and keep its lofty perch in the PBA Governors’ Cup.
The Tropang Giga completed their repeat, beating the crowd darlings in Game 6 before 14,668 screaming fans at Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.
Import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson helped TNT out of an 85-all deadlock in the fourth period, scoring four points as the locals–led by Jayson Castro and Roger Pogoy–starved the Gin Kings of the offense that kept them in the thick of things earlier in the contest.
TNT coach Chot Reyes after winning the Governors’ Cup over Ginebra. #PBAFinals @INQUIRERSports pic.twitter.com/flnl3gMS8N
— Rommel Fuertes Jr. (@MeloFuertesINQ) November 8, 2024
TNT beats Barangay Ginebra in 6 games to win PBA Governors’ Cup championship
No words needed. Just coach Chot Reyes celebrating another career milestone. 🤫 #PBAFinals @INQUIRERSports pic.twitter.com/TvLUKudgBb
— Rommel Fuertes Jr. (@MeloFuertesINQ) November 8, 2024
The other side of the #PBAFinals.
Ginebra players exit the court as TNT celebrates their second straight Governors’ Cup. @INQUIRERSports pic.twitter.com/SXNXrOKLrc
— Rommel Fuertes Jr. (@MeloFuertesINQ) November 8, 2024
Oh and by the way, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson is 2-0 in PBA Governors’ Cup play. 🤷♂️ #PBAFinals @INQUIRERSports pic.twitter.com/4BWAyIg3Ns
— Rommel Fuertes Jr. (@MeloFuertesINQ) November 8, 2024
Calvin Oftana, savor the moment! You are once again, a PBA champion! #PBAFinals @INQUIRERSports pic.twitter.com/bLHoMjDRV5
— Rommel Fuertes Jr. (@MeloFuertesINQ) November 8, 2024
PBA Finals Game 6: Ginebra vs TNT
- TNT wins the Governors’ Cup for the second straight season after beating Ginebra in Game 6 of the PBA Finals, 95-85.
- TNT feeling it now. RR Pogoy puts the Tropang Giga within reach of the title with a 94-85 lead with over 40 ticks remaining.
- Kelly Williams connects off a dish from Jayson Williams! TNT leads 71-85 with 1:20 to go.
- TNT takes an 89-85 lead with 2:32 left to play after back to back buckets from Rondae Hollis Jefferson.
- Roger Pogoy connects from 3 to tie the game again at 83, over 5 minutes left.
- Official gate count for Game 6 of the PBA Finals between Ginebra and TNT: 14,668.
- Ginebra takes the lead back 77-74 after a 3 from RJ Abarrientos.
- Game is now tied at 74 after a corner 3 from Rey Nambatac to start the fourth quarter.
- Justin Brownlee gives Gimebra a 74-63 lead as the third quarter winds down.
- Third quarter underway. Ginebra still in the lead 57-53, with under 7 minutes on the clock.
- RJ Abarrientos finally gets going to spark Barangay Ginebra’s comeback and a 43-42 halftime lead over TNT in Game 6 of the PBA Governors’ Cup Finals.
THE FLYING RJ 😤
WATCH: “Ginebra!” chants echo inside the Big Dome as RJ Abarrientos gives the Gin Kings the lead, 43-42, with 24.7 to go in the first half. | @MeloFuertesINQ pic.twitter.com/mxwHz35iq2
— INQUIRER Sports (@INQUIRERSports) November 8, 2024
- RJ Abarrientos carrying the fight for Ginebra in the second quarter as the Gin Kings pulled within 33-36 with over 3 minutes left before halftime.
A technical foul has been called on Ginebra coach Tim Cone for resentment to a call in the 5:34 mark of the second quarter.
TNT still leads, 32-26. @INQUIRERSports #PBAFinals pic.twitter.com/25z1jNCzyp
— Rommel Fuertes Jr. (@MeloFuertesINQ) November 8, 2024
- A technical foul has been called on Ginebra coach Tim Cone for resentment to a call in the 5:34 mark of the second quarter. TNT still leads, 32-26.
- Ginebra cuts in on TNT lead, trails 26-31 after a 3 from RJ Abarrientos.
- Rey Nambatac called for a technical foul for flopping. Chot Reyes challenges the call. TNT holding on to a 29-21 lead over Ginebra.
BIG FIGHT FEEL
TNT looks to close out the #PBAFinals in Game 6 against Ginebra.
Tropang Giga leads the Gin Kings, 27-18, with 9:24 to go in the second quarter. @INQUIRERSports pic.twitter.com/lXIoAi1BVJ
— Rommel Fuertes Jr. (@MeloFuertesINQ) November 8, 2024
- Tropang Giga leads the Gin Kings, 27-18, with 9:24 to go in the second quarter.
- Another strong first quarter for TNT here as it opens a 21-13 lead with 2:39 on the clock.
- TNT opens with an 8-5 lead over Ginebra early in the first quarter.
- TNT goes for the clincher tonight against Barangay Ginebra in Game 6 of the PBA Governors’ Cup Finals here at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
AAKYAT SA KAMPEONATO O AAKYAT NG ANTIPOLO?
TNT goes for the clincher tonight against Barangay Ginebra in Game 6 of the PBA Governors’ Cup Finals here at Smart Araneta Coliseum. | @jonasterradoINQ pic.twitter.com/R9k5Pn1kxd
— INQUIRER Sports (@INQUIRERSports) November 8, 2024
There had been plenty of heroes for TNT in its bid to keep its lofty perch in the PBA Governors’ Cup, but nobody has been as impressive as how Kelly Williams played such a role in the Game 5 rout that had the Tropang Giga at the cusp of a repeat.
Williams, the 2008 Most Valuable Player, started for the telco club and then put up 11 points and three rebounds in the 99-72 conquest of Barangay Ginebra—a commendable outing for someone who has been playing sparingly in the finalé and a player who is way past his athletic prime at 42 years old.
Coach Chot Reyes expectedly heaped praises on his old reliable who has helped the franchise to seven PBA crowns. And so did Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, the two-time Best Import who served alongside Williams during the run-up to the 2023 Governors’ Cup championship run.
Poy Erram was heading back to the TNT dugout following a lopsided Game 5 victory that put the Tropang Giga one step away from repeating as champions of the PBA Governors’ Cup when a Barangay Ginebra fan couldn’t help but shout at the veteran center.
“Iyakin (crybaby)!” the fan hollered at Erram, who just flashed a wide grin while giving high fives to his teammates to savor the Tropang Giga’s 99-72 rout of the Gin Kings on Wednesday night at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
“Our goal was to be aggressive,” said Erram, labeled as such after painful playoff defeats in the past. “We also kept our focus on ourselves, not on the referees or the crowd.”
MANILA, Philippines—With momentum on Ginebra’s side after trying the series, coach Tim Cone knows what went wrong for his the Gin Kings in Game 5 of the PBA Governors’ Cup Finals.
After two rousing victories, the Gin Kings saw themselves on the wrong end of a lopsided loss as Tropang Giga took a commanding 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven affair.
“It doesn’t even matter that we lost by thirty points, the bottom line is we lost,” said a distraught Cone after their 99-72 loss at Araneta Coliseum on Wednesday.
MANILA, Philippines—Coming off a frustrating loss in Game 4 of the PBA Governors’ Cup Finals, TNT’s Calvin Oftana bounced back big to push the Tropang Giga on the cusp of back-to-back titles.
Although not scoring more after finishing with 26 in the previous game—Oftana was more efficient on Wednesday night in Game 5, which he credits to his winning instinct.
“Masama lang ata pakiramdam ko kaya gano’n nangyari [last game],” said Oftana in jest after their 99-72 win over Ginebra. (I think I just felt under the weather last game.)
November 8, Friday – Smart Araneta Coliseum
- 7:30pm – Barangay Ginebra San Miguel vs TNT Tropang Giga
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