Tropang 5G, Ginebra Set for Crucial Game 3 After Split Opening Wins

Momentum continues to swing in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup Finals as TNT and Barangay Ginebra head into a pivotal Game 3 of their best-of-seven showdown at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay on Wednesday night.

Tipoff is set for 7:30 p.m., with the Tropang 5G aiming to build on their Game 2 victory and seize control of a series that has seen both teams trade hard-fought wins in front of packed crowds at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.

TNT, coached by Chot Reyes, drew level in the series with a 101–94 win last Friday, though not without drama as Ginebra sliced a 21-point deficit down to four in the final minute before Calvin Oftana and Chris McCullough helped seal the result.

Comebacks have defined the early stages of the Finals. In Game 1, TNT rallied from 18 points down before Barangay Ginebra escaped with a 102–100 win behind late heroics from RJ Abarrientos and Justin Brownlee.

With the series now tied 1–1, TNT is pushing for a more consistent 48-minute performance as it looks to take a 2–1 lead and move closer to the championship.

“We’re trying to sustain a high level for 48 minutes,” Reyes said after Game 2. “Against a team like Ginebra, if you let your guard down for three or four minutes, they’ll get on a very quick run.”

Ginebra, meanwhile, is looking to rediscover its rhythm after a physically demanding semifinal series against Rain or Shine. The Kings are also hoping for improved officiating following concerns raised by head coach Tim Cone over the free-throw disparity in Game 2, where TNT went 22-of-25 at the line compared to Ginebra’s 9-of-10.

Cone, who rarely criticizes officiating, pointed to Justin Brownlee’s limited free-throw attempts despite consistent drives to the basket, though he acknowledged TNT’s defensive effort.

“That came down to the fact that we just didn’t show up at the beginning of the game,” Cone said. “We had three assists in the first half. That’s just not us. Tip your cap to TNT for their defense—we’ve got to find answers.”

As both teams adjust and regroup, Game 3 is shaping up to be another tightly contested battle for control of the series.