Gin Kings Hold Off Hotshots’ Rally for Narrow Win

Barangay Ginebra remained composed down the stretch to fend off Magnolia, 91-89, in a thrilling “Manila Clasico” encounter in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup on Friday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

After building a 15-point lead early in the game, the Gin Kings watched as the Hotshots mounted a fierce comeback, forcing a tense finish. However, Ginebra regained control in the closing seconds to notch its third win in five games.

Scottie Thompson led the charge with an all-around performance of 24 points and 10 rebounds, his best outing of the conference. The former MVP also made the game-winning play, assisting RJ Abarrientos for the go-ahead basket with just 6.3 seconds left.

“I stayed patient through the ups and downs,” Thompson said, reflecting on his performance, which surpassed his previous high of just seven points this conference. “But credit to the whole team, the coaches, and my teammates. We played really well as a team, and the energy from our fans helped us sustain it.”

Abarrientos added valuable support with 19 points, while Justin Brownlee led the team with a game-high 29 points, nine rebounds, and four assists.

Ginebra took control early, leading 50-35 at halftime. However, the momentum shifted in the third quarter, as Magnolia erupted for a 31-19 run to cut the lead and set up a thrilling finish.

The Gin Kings seemed to have regained control when they extended the lead to 87-81 with under three minutes remaining, but Magnolia refused to go down without a fight. Mark Barroca hit a pair of free throws with 8.2 seconds left to tie the game at 89-all, keeping the Hotshots' hopes alive.

But Abarrientos quickly responded with a driving layup to give Ginebra the lead, and Magnolia’s final possession fell apart as an errant pass was collected by Norbert Torres, securing the win for the crowd favorites.

The victory allowed coach Tim Cone’s squad to bounce back from a narrow 82-85 loss to San Miguel in their previous game, while snapping Magnolia’s two-game winning streak as the Hotshots dropped to 2-4.