Barangay Ginebra clinched the second seed in the PBA Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup playoffs after defeating TNT, 93-86, on Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
The Gin Kings established control early, racing to a 15-point lead in the first half. Despite a strong push from the Tropang 5G, Ginebra maintained composure to secure the win.
TNT managed to narrow the gap to just five points late in the game. However, RJ Abarrientos hit a crucial three-pointer with 48 seconds remaining, sealing Ginebra's victory.
With this win, Ginebra finished the elimination round with a 9-3 record, just behind top-seeded NLEX at 10-2.
Playoff Matchup and Player Highlights
Ginebra will face seventh-seeded Phoenix in the playoffs. TNT, with a 6-6 record, fell to eighth place, following Phoenix’s overtime win over them earlier.
Justin Brownlee led Ginebra with an impressive performance, scoring 18 points and grabbing 15 rebounds. Abarrientos contributed 17 points to the victory.
For TNT, Bol Bol was the standout player, finishing with 33 points and 10 rebounds. Calvin Oftana added 11 points to the effort.