SCOTTIE Thompson was Mr. Everything for Barangay Ginebra in Game 5 of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals.
Thompson tallied 16 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, and two steals as Barangay Ginebra overhauled a 10-point halftime deficit to beat TNT, 73-66, and take a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven title series.
Aside from the numbers, Thompson also provided the intangibles to pump up not only the team but most of the 12,447 fans at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum on Sunday night - a fact not lost on Tim Cone.
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“Even though Justin (Brownlee) made some big shots down the stretch, it was really the inspiration of Scottie that really turned the tide for us,” said the Ginebra coach, citing Thompson’s pivotal role in the win.
Thompson provided the big lift with his leadership, effort, and eventually, the numbers after Ginebra went down, 45-35, halfway into Game 5.
“We did not play a good first half. We were playing the first half in like second gear, and they (TNT) were playing in fourth gear. We knew at halftime we have to step it up and play at a higher gear to have a chance,” said Cone.
Played at a higher gear they did, with Thompson leading the way.
“There’s just so much that Scottie does,” said Cone, who was with Thompson, adjudged as the Best Player of the Game, during the postgame press conference.
“I’d say this even if you weren’t here, Scottie,” he told Thompson during the presser. “There is so much that Scottie does that doesn’t show up in the scorecard or the points or the rebounds.
"He gets those stuff but his impact is so much greater than that. You can see that. I think, more today than just about any time, that he just inspired the whole team.”
One of the plays that fired up the whole team in Game 5 were the rebounds that he picked up including the one with emphasis that has become his hallmark.
“That kalawit rebound he had was amazing when a time when we weren’t getting rebounds. The shots down the stretch, getting the ball to the right people was a brilliant, brilliant game by Scottie in the second half,” said Cone.
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