MANILA, Philippines – Staring at a 0-2 deficit, can Barangay Ginebra finally crack TNT’s code on All Saints’ Day?
The Gin Kings seek to avoid falling into a 0-3 hole, while the Tropang Giga aim to move on the cusp of a second straight PBA Governors’ Cup title as they clash anew in Game 3 of their best-of-seven finals at the Araneta Coliseum on Friday, November 1.
After absorbing a 104-88 Game 1 beatdown, Ginebra still had no answers for TNT as the latter scored another double-digit victory in Game 2, 96-84, on Wednesday, October 30.
With Ginebra’s defense daring him to shoot, TNT’s super import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson made the Gin Kings pay by knocking down six of his 12 attempts from beyond the arc en route to a game-high 37-point explosion.
Hollis-Jefferson also tallied 13 rebounds and 7 assists as he completely outplayed his counterpart Justin Brownlee, who was held to only 19 points on 7-of-17 shooting by TNT’s stifling defense.
Similar to the series opener, TNT also outshined Ginebra in three-point shooting, going 14-of-37 from deep compared to the Gin Kings’ 7-of-27 clip.
Look for the Tropang Giga to bank on their rock-solid defense and the hot hands of Hollis-Jefferson once more as they try to move within a win of another Governors’ Cup crown.
Meanwhile, expect head coach Tim Cone to switch things up for Ginebra and Brownlee to bounce back big from his quiet 19-point outing as they look to finally solve TNT’s puzzle and secure a breakthrough win in the best-of-seven affair.
Game time is 7:30 pm. – Rappler.com
