SCOTTIE Thompson drained a buzzer-beating corner three off an RJ Abarrientos assist to lift Barangay Ginebra to a 95-92 win over Magnolia on Christmas Day in the PBA Commissioner's Cup at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
Thompson's heroics completed the Gin Kings' comeback from 22 points with Abarrientos also helping the team's cause in overhauling the huge deficit.
Abarrientos showed the ‘Never Say Die’ Ginebra mantra, finishing with 20 points, 17 of which in that second half where the Gin Kings fell behind, 76-54, midway in the third quarter.
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Barangay Ginebra picked up its fourth win in six outings while avoiding a two-game losing skid at the end of its 2024 campaign.
Magnolia slipped to 2-5, losing for the fifth time over the last six games.
Justin Brownlee also helped Barangay Ginebra in nailing key shots in the end game, including a three that pushed the Gin Kings ahead, 92-90, with 2:03 remaining in the match after Ricardo Ratliffe put Magnolia in the lead.
Rome Dela Rosa converted a short stab with 22.9 seconds left to tie the game, only for Thompson to nail the winner in front of 12,198 fans, mostly cheering the Ginebra side.
“At halftime, I was disappointed because we had a nice crowd that came to watch the game and we played so poorly in the first half,” said Ginebra coach Tim Cone, referring to their 55-41 halftime deficit.
“I just think the guys kinda gathered themselves and got a little bit more determined there in the second half,” he added.
Troy Rosario had 15 points, eight rebounds, and two blocks in also his first Christmas Clasico game along with Abarrientos, while Scottie Thompson chipped in 14 points in the win.
Ratliffe had 17 points and 16 rebounds for Magnolia, while going up against Brownlee for most of the fourth quarter. Mark Barroca added 13 points, while Paul Lee and Ian Sangalang had 11 points apiece as Magnolia fell to 1-5 in Christmas Clasico games.
“I think Justin doesn’t get credit for his defense but he got Ratliffe the whole second half, and that was big because that takes a lot out of him. And then RJ just kept making big shot after big shot. And you could kinda feel it coming, you can feel the momentum shifting,” said Cone.
The scores:
Barangay Ginebra 95 – Brownlee 28, Abarrientos 20, Rosario 15, Thompson 14, J. Aguilar 8, Holt 5, Ahanmisi 5, Tenorio 0, Cu 0, Mariano 0.
Magnolia 92 – Ratliffe 17, Barroca 13, Lee 11, Sangalang 11, Lucero 8, Balanza 8, Dela Rosa 7, Dionisio 6, Lastimosa 6, Abueva 5, Ahanmisi 0.
Quarters: 24-30; 41-55; 67-78; 95-92.
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