While TNT made stops, Barangay Ginebra couldn’t do anything on defense, slowing down Rondae Hollis-Jefferson. AUGUST DELA CRUZ.
TNT’s defense was on full display in the first two games of the PBA Governors’ Cup finals, and Barangay Ginebra coach Tim Cone admitted he felt outmaneuvered by his longtime friend and opponent Chot Reyes.
But Reyes, whose Tropang Giga will be seeking a commanding 3-0 lead on Friday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, didn’t say anything complex about why they have the Gin Kings’ number at this stage of the championship fight.
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“Our focus is just to know what Ginebra wants to do and do our best to stop her and make it happen,” Reyes said before the 7:30 p.m. contest, oddly scheduled on All Saints Day.
The Tropang Giga have won two straight games, including the 96-84 win two nights earlier at the Big Dome, largely because of the way they forced the Gin Kings to one in the finale while shooting 33 percent Average score of 86 points clip.
One glaring statistic is Ginebra’s three-point shooting, which was virtually non-existent as only nine of 48 attempts (18.8 percent) were converted after he shot 7 of 27 (26 percent) in Game 2.
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“You don’t have to be a genius to see what’s going on,” Cone lamented. “I was completely overtaken and outclassed by Chot and Rondae’s amazingness. (And) I feel bad for our players because I don’t help them at all.”
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson continued his workhorse play for the Tropang Giga with 37 points, boosted by a PBA career-high six triples as well as 13 rebounds and seven assists, all while maintaining his defensive performance.
“I just changed my attitude,” said Hollis-Jefferson, who recalled missing a lot against Cone and Gilas Pilipinas when she was on the losing side of the Asian Games in Hangzhou last year as a naturalized player of Jordan Gold medal stood.
“I knew that would be the game plan and they were prepared to live with it the whole game,” he added. “I guess they thought it was a coincidence or whatever, but I’m a professional player. I work with it and I believe in it. My teammates and coaches believe and tell me to shoot.”
Obvious struggles
TNT scored a total of 14 three-pointers and also showed its teeth on offense. Calvin Oftana and Glenn Khobuntin each hit three points and tied the score with 13.
Rival freshman Justin Brownlee, meanwhile, was able to somewhat maintain his 19-point lead after making seven of 17 shots but missing all two three-pointers and one four-pointer. Scottie Thompson, Japeth Aguilar and Stephen Holt also matched their scoring numbers but also struggled, although freshman RJ Abarrientos was again a non-factor for the Gin Kings.
“It seemed like they had us figured out defensively,” Brownlee admitted after falling 2-0 in the final for the first time in his storied PBA career.
The Tropang Giga are eager to continue this trend, while the Gin Kings hope to live by their trademark mantra of “Never Say Die” and turn things around, provided they can solve the mystery.
“You can’t stop Justin Brownlee, he’s such a great player. But at least make it difficult for him, make him work for it. Same with Scottie, same with Japeth, same with RJ and Stephen Holt. “They’re all very good players,” Reyes said.
“We know we can’t stop them, but we can at least find ways to make it difficult. That was our mentality, not just in this final but throughout the entire series.”
With that in mind, Brownlee offered some hopeful words for himself and his team.
“We had some problems offensively. That’s obvious,” Brownlee said. “But you know, it’s the first one to four (that gets the title), not the first one to two.
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“That’s why we’re still confident and still believe that we can find a rhythm in Game 3 and try to turn the series around.”