RHJ, TNT wax hot early to draw first blood against Ginebra

TNT rode a fiery start and then shrugged off any form of resistance from Barangay Ginebra to essay a 95-89 victory in Game 1 of the PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup at the Mall of Asia Arena on Friday, March 14.

The Tropang Giga came in locked and loaded, drilling eight triples in the opening frame to set the tone in what turned out to be a masterful display to draw first blood in the best-of-seven affair.

Back on his familiar stomping ground from last conference, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson basked in the limelight of the PBA Finals with an explosive 34-point showing that also came with 13 rebounds, eight assists, a steal and a block.

RR Pogoy, who led the initial assault from deep, fired five treys to finish with 15 while Calvin Oftana and Rey Nambatac had 10 apiece for TNT which won even with the absences of the team’s heart and soul in Jayson Castro.

The Tropang Giga erected a double-digit spread, 29-18, at the end of the opening frame and then kept their foot on the gas pedal for an 18-point advantage, 57-39, that made the Kings’ faithful in the 11,802 crowd silent.

Ginebra, though, came alive in the second half and repeatedly threatened TNT behind the efforts of Justin Brownlee and Scottie Thompson.

They came closest in the final frame when they managed to break into the Tropa’s double-digit barrier, even cutting the lead down to four, 89-93, in the waning seconds following a desperate four-pointer from RJ Abarrientos.

The run, however, came a little too late as Hollis-Jefferson iced the game with two pressure-packed free throws that slammed the door on Ginebra comeback.

Brownlee paced the Kings with 28 points, 15 rebounds and six assists while Thompson and Abarrientos had 17 and 13 in Ginebra’s lethargic start to the series. — Reynald I. Magallon