The TNT Tropang Giga drew first blood in the 2024 PBA Governors’ Cup Finals, as they came away with a 104-88 win in Antipolo last Sunday. That was a loud message sent by TNT to the Barangay. Will Ginebra answer right back with a win this Wednesday? Or, will TNT push the Barangay’s back harder against the wall with another victory?
Catch this game live on Wednesday, October 30 at 7:30 pm, Manila time.
TNT Tropang Giga (1-0)
Projected Starting Five:
- Rey Nambatac
- RR Pogoy
- Calvin Oftana
- Rondae Hollis-Jefferson
- JP Erram
The Tropang Giga neutralized Ginebra in Game 1, thanks in large part to their defense. Although TNT scored over 100 points, it was how the Tropang Giga limited the impact of the likes of Justin Brownlee and Scottie Thompson in the series opener that shifted the tide in their favor. Brownlee scored 23 points but needed 21 attempts from the field to get there while Thompson only had seven points with six assists and three turnovers while going just 3/10 from the floor.
Ginebra, as a team, only had 39 percent success on their field goal attempts. Tropang Giga is capable of doing that again to the Barangay, as they have consistently flexed their muscles on defense. Offensively, they can be even better. Chot Reyes’ team shot 52.7 FG% in Game 1 and that’s with import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson shooting just 8/23 for 19 points. Rey Nambatac and Jayson Castro combined two generations of guard excellence with 14 and 12 points, respectively. TNT’s guards outplaying Ginebra’s duo of Thompson and Rhon Jay Abarrientos helped set the tone for the Tropang Giga in this series.

Barangay Ginebra San Miguel (0-1)
Projected Starting Five:
- Scottie Thompson
- Maverick Ahanmisi
- Stephen Holt
- Justin Brownlee
- Japeth Aguilar
Ginebra will just have to learn and move on from its Game 1 debacle. As mentioned, the Barangay’s top two weapons were put in check by TNT in the series opener, as Brownlee and Thompson both had subpar performances. Ginebra’s outside shooting was barely existent in Game 1, as it knocked down just two 3-pointers on 21 attempts. The Barangay also didn’t drain a three until the fourth quarter.
That shouldn’t stop Ginebra from firing from behind the arc. If anything, that salty shooting should encourage the Barangay to continue launching long shots in Game 2, as that’s the only way for them to get out of a slump. It sounds so cliched, but Ginebra just needs to find their rhythm on offense to open up TNT’s defense, which was what the Tropang Giga did to the Barangay in Game 1. TNT had 12 3-pointers last Sunday, with five Tropang Giga players hitting at least two threes.
Picks
Spread: Ginebra (-2.5)
Over/Under: Over (192.5)
