Seventy-three points. Fifty-three rebounds. Eighteen assists. Three blocks. These numbers are obviously not from an individual, rather it was a group effort that contributed to the Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings being a win away from their 16th PBA championship.
One could easily point out the likes of Justin Brownlee, Scottie Thompson, Japeth Aguilar, or even Chot Reyes and Poy Erram as the Best Players of the Game. However, the whole of the Gin Kings were greater than the sum of their parts in Game 5.
Ginebra began the game with effective passing and solid screens, getting points through ball movement and team play. The Gin Kings were relentless on the boards, grabbing when able and tipping the ball to teammates when it was a tossup. The points, rebounds, and assists will show up on the scoreboard, but the effort it took to generate those numbers won’t. However, those were the keys to negating the TNT Tropang Giga’s runs.
In a seven-game series, past numbers don’t really hold much weight, especially in the latter stages. The scouting reports still hold some weight, but it all boils down to a battle during each possession. During the postseason, the game tends to slow down and the possessions become less and less. That’s why second-chance opportunities are critical and in Game 5, it was evident that Ginebra was quicker to the ball and wanted it more.
The pressure has definitely risen for both teams, but the Gin Kings may feel it more given how they would not want to give the Tropang Giga any more momentum. Ginebra head coach Tim Cone has done a great job in managing his team through the highs and lows of the 2024-2025 Honda PBA Commissioner’s Cup and his players have bought into his system even with the ups and down.
Reyes and TNT had the upper hand early on and Brownlee’s injuries made it seem like the Tropang Giga were inching closer to a PBA Grand Slam. But then, the Gin Kings dug deep and have overtaken their rival, who seem to be more focused on fighting each other. It’s clear that egos must be left at the door to be able to exit with a title in hand. But when the TNT is focused, they can be tougher to beat and with the way Game 6 went, it’s easy to see that the Tropang Giga will not go down without a fight.
The 2024-2025 Honda PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals has had everything you’d want in a championship series: drama, tension, low-scoring games, and signature moments, among others. The last stretch should provide us with more, especially with the Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings a win away from greatness.
The Gin Kings have channeled their Never Say Die mantra in this series and it has them in the driver’s seat. They can’t let up now that they’re close and given how their rivals have let their emotions boil over, the key to getting over the hump lies in staying calm, cool, collected, and most importantly, together.
