Can TNT Tropang Giga tie the best-of-seven Finals of the 2020 Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup against Barangay Ginebra?
The two teams clash 6 p.m., Sunday, December 6, 2020 at the Angeles University Foundation Sports Arena & Cultural Center Powered by Smart 5G.
The Tropang Giga are hoping to follow up their 88-67 Game 3 victory over Ginebra.
Ginebra holds a 2-1 advantage over TNT even after dropping Game 3 last Friday, December 4. A victory Sunday propels the Gin Kings to a commanding 3-1 advantage.
TNT relied on their scrambling defense and three-pointers to post the lopsided victory last Friday.
Ginebra was limited to just 67 points in Game 3 after averaging 96 points in the Games 1 and 2. Ginebra scorer Stanley Pringle had the biggest drop off. He had just 11 points in Game 3 while averaging 29 markers in Games 1 and 2.
TNT’s Simon Enciso shadowed Pringle all game long. And when Enciso was brushed off by screens a teammate was quick to pick up Pringle if he dribbled the ball or close out if he took a shot.
The Tropang Giga also forced Ginebra to commit 23 turnovers which were converted to 17 points.
Finally, outside shooting contributed greatly to TNT’s victory. The Tropang Giga scored 39 points (converting 13 of 43 triple attempts) from three pointers compared to just 18 points (6 of 18) by Ginebra.
Other than Enciso, Jayson Castro and Troy Rosario also stepped up big time for the Tropang Giga.
Rosario – who scored most of his points from inside the paint – was named the Player of the Game after finishing with 15 points, 3 rebounds, 2 blocks and 1 steal.
Ginebra hopes to replicate its success in Games 1 and 2 where they beat TNT in two nail-biting games.
Pringle, as well as Tenorio, Japeth Aguilar, Scottie Thompson and Aljon Mariano, will have to step up again for Ginebra to prevail.
In Game 3, Tenorio scored on a layup to cut the TNT lead to just 2 points, 56-54, with 2:52 to go in the third period. But TNT’s Castro, Jay Washington and Ryan Reyes each drilled a triple to power TNT to a 10-point, 66-56 advantage after three quarters.
The Tropang Giga increased that 10-point advantage in the fourth to win pulling away.
