UPDATED DAILY | March 28, 2025
HERE'S how the 2024 PBA Commissioner's Cup has been going so far.
MARCH 28
GAMES TODAY (Araneta Coliseum)
7:30 p.m. - Ginebra vs. TNT
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MARCH 26
TNT forces winner-take-all Game 7 after surviving Ginebra rally
TNT stretched the PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup Finals to a deciding seventh game after defeating Barangay Ginebra, 87-83, on Wednesday night at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
The Tropang Giga responded in a big way following a tumultuous Game 5 that saw Poy Erram and head coach Chot Reyes get into a heated verbal argument during a timeout as Ginebra made the decisive move.
As it turned out, it was Erram who, with their conference on the line, delivered in a big way, knocking down crucial baskets during a 9-0 run to start the fourth quarter in front of 17,654 fans - the biggest PBA crowd in two seasons.
Erram later nailed crucial free throws to keep TNT's head above water amid a furious fourth quarter rally by Ginebra, sending this finals series to a fitting conclusion – a Game 7 to be played on Friday at the Big Dome.
READ FULL STORY HERE
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MARCH 23
Ginebra outduels TNT in Game 5 dogfight, moves a win from PBA title
SCOTTIE Thompson and Justin Brownlee made crucial plays in the endgame as Barangay Ginebra wrested the lead in the PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup Finals for the first time by defeating TNT in Game 5, 73-66, on Sunday night.
Thompson carried the load during a decisive 8-0 finishing kick that also saw Brownlee come to life just in time for the Gin Kings, who overhauled a 10-point halftime lead to claim a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven title series.
By winning its second consecutive game of the finals, Ginebra moved one win away from beating TNT in the finals for the first time in its last three tries, going to Game 6 on Wednesday, also at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
READ FULL STORY HERE
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MARCH 21
Ginebra seizes control in Game 4 as Brownlee plays through injury
ANTIPOLO – Justin Brownlee showed no signs of a serious finger injury after leading Barangay Ginebra to a 53-49 halftime lead over TNT in Game 4 of the PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup at the Ynares Center.
Brownlee was near perfect in the first half despite playing with a dislocated right thumb suffered in Game 3 that cast doubt on his status coming into Friday night’s important clash.
The resident Ginebra import started and got 15 points on 6 of 7 shooting from the field and 3 of 3 from the free throw line in the first half where the Gin Kings led by as many as 10 points.
Jamie Malonzo had 11 points, while Japeth Aguilar and Stephen Holt each had 10 points for the Gin Kings.
READ FULL STORY HERE
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MARCH 19
TNT escapes with Game 3 win as Ginebra loses Brownlee to injury
REY Nambatac buried a clutch three with 30.1 seconds left as TNT overcame a shorthanded but hard-fighting Barangay Ginebra, 87-85, on Wednesday in Game 3 of the PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup Finals at the Philsports Arena.
Nambatac’s crucial trey gave the Tropang Giga an 85-82 lead and eventually a 2-1 lead in the best-of-seven championship series against a Ginebra side that lost import Justin Brownlee to a dislocate thumb in the second half.
READ FULL STORY HERE
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MARCH 16
Clutch Brownlee averts Ginebra collapse vs TNT in Game Two
JUSTIN Brownlee saved Barangay Ginebra from a monumental collapse with clutch baskets in the final seconds against TNT, 71-70, in a classic Game Two on Sunday in the PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup Finals at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Brownlee made an acrobatic reverse lay-up then made two free throws with 46.6 seconds remaining to give Ginebra the lead, 71-70, in a low-scoring game where the Gin Kings blew a 15-point lead.
Brownlee’s late heroics saved the day after TNT made a huge comeback from scoring a PBA Finals-low 19 points in the first half, enabling Ginebra to tie the best-of-seven series at 1-1 heading to Game 3 on Wednesday at the Philsports Arena.
READ FULL STORY HERE
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MARCH 14
TNT pulls off masterful win over Ginebra in Game 1 of PBA Finals
RONDAE Hollis-Jefferson scored 34 points as TNT rode a fiery start to defeat Barangay Ginebra, 95-89, and draw first blood in the PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup Finals on Friday night at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.
RR Pogoy added 15 points on five treys and led a fiery start that saw the Tropang Giga hit 8 of their first 13 shots from threes in their first quarter on their way to the Game One victory and the early lead in the best-of-seven finals.
READ FULL STORY HERE
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MARCH 8
Ginebra puts away NorthPort, arranges PBA Finals rematch vs TNT
BARANGAY Ginebra put away NorthPort in Game Five, 126-99, on Friday night at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum and arranged a finals grudge match with TNT in the PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup.
The Gin Kings went on a decisive third-quarter tear that saw them outscore the Batang Pier, 35-23, to finally wrap up the best-of-seven semifinal showdown, 4-1, after an uncharacteristic hiccup in Game Four on Wednesday.
With a fourth lopsided victory in the semis series, Ginebra crosses paths with TNT again in a best-of-seven playoff where the Gin Kings will be looking to exact revenge after losing to the Tropang Giga in the Governors’ Cup Finals.
READ FULL STORY HERE
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TNT rides RHJ's 42 points to dispatch RoS, book return to finals
RONDAE Hollis-Jefferson went berserk in the fourth quarter as TNT finished off Rain or Shine, 97-92, on Friday in Game Five of their PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinal playoff at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
Hollis-Jefferson scored 17 of his 42 points in the final quarter to help the Tropang Giga wrap up their best-of-seven playoff, 4-1, and reach the championship series for the second straight time in this 49th Season.
Calvin Oftana hit a three-pointer with 39.7 seconds left for a 93-86 lead to essentially seal the series win as well as a chance at replicating the Tropang Giga's championship run in the season-opening Governors’ Cup.
READ FULL STORY HERE
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MARCH 5
TNT locks down on defense to push RoS on the brink of elimination
TNT moved one win away from its second finals appearance of the PBA 49th Season, beating Rain or Shine in Game 4, 93-85, on Wednesday in their Commissioner’s Cup semifinal showdown at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
Calvin Oftana led the offensive onslaught for TNT with 26 points, while the Tropang Giga put the clamps down on Rain or Shine star guard Adrian Nocum after being limited to a conference low four points to step closer to another berth in the finals.
Champions of the Governors’ Cup last conference, TNT can clinch another finals berth with a win in Game 5 on Friday at the Big Dome.
READ FULL STORY HERE
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Defiant NorthPort holds off Ginebra rally to avoid semis sweep
NORTHPORT, playing with a sense of urgency, finally claimed a victory in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals, nipping Barangay Ginebra, 108-103, on Wednesday at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
Kadeem Jack had 39 points including a turnaround jumper with 19.3 seconds left to give the Batang Pier a three-point lead, 106-103, and weather the storm for the Batang Pier after a late rally by the Gin Kings got them to within one.
Stephen Holt missed a game-tying triple on the next possession, with Arvin Tolentino sinking two free throws to pad the cushion to five.
READ FULL STORY HERE
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MARCH 2
Ginebra one win away from PBA Finals after Game Three blowout
BARANGAY Ginebra once again cruised to a comprehensive 127-100 victory over NorthPort on Sunday at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum to step ever closer to a finals appearance in the PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup.
Just like in the first two games of the best-of-seven series, the Gin Kings looked untouchable - and the Batang Pier looked in over their heads - as they moved one win away from a 4-0 sweep at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
READ FULL STORY HERE
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Rain or Shine finally breaks through, trims TNT lead to 2-1
RAIN or Shine finally claimed a win in their PBA 49th Seasob Commissioner’s Cup semifinal series against TNT, pulling off a 103-98 victory on Sunday at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
Adrian Nocum took over in the fourth quarter as the Elasto Painters picked up their first victory of the best-of-seven series after consecutive close defeats against a TNT side that lost Jayson Castro to a season-ending injury.
READ FULL STORY HERE
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FEBRUARY 28
TNT overcomes losing Castro, RHJ in endgame, frustrates ROS again
TNT survived the absence of Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Jayson Castro in the homestretch to overcome Rain or Shine, 93-91, on Friday in the PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup at the Philsports Arena.
The Tropang Giga held on after Hollis-Jefferson fouled out with still 5:36 left in the fourth quarter and Castro suffered a scary injury at the 3:07 mark, his situation looking dire as he was brought straight to the hospital in a stretcher.
Adrian Nocum missed an open jumper from the corner at the end of the game, allowing TNT to take a 2-0 lead in the best-of-seven semifinal series.
READ FULL STORY HERE
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Ginebra cruises to another easy win vs NorthPort for 2-0 lead
BARANGAY Ginebra essayed another dominating win in Game Two against NorthPort, 119-106, on Friday in their PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup semifinal series at the Philsports Arena.
The Gin Kings got off to another strong start and led by as many as 35 points - the margin of victory only becoming respectable after a late rally by the Batang Pier in a game no different to a 115-93 Ginebra blowout in the series opener.
With the lopsided result, the fourth-seeded Gin Kings opened a 2-0 series lead in their best-of-seven affair. They can move within a win of another finals seat in the next game on Sunday at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
READ FULL STORY HERE
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FEBRUARY 26
Ginebra deals top seed NorthPort a demoralizing Game One loss
BARANGAY Ginebra took the series opener of their PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinal against NorthPort on Wednesday night, dealing the No. 1 seed a humiliating 115-93 drubbing at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
The Gin Kings' national players showed no signs of fatigue after Gilas Pilipinas' hectic campaign in the FIBA Asia Cup 2025 qualifiers, helping Ginebra put together a 32-14 third quarter that broke open what until then was a close game.
Justin Brownlee had 19 points in just 32 minutes of action while Troy Rosario had 16 points and eight rebounds just a day after arriving from Auckland where Gilas played its final game of the Asia Cup qualifiers.
READ FULL STORY HERE
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TNT relies on Castro, defense to thwart Rain or Shine in Game One
TNT rode the offensive explosions of Jayson Castro, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, and Calvin Oftana then made key stops in the endgame to thwart Rain or Shine, 88-84, in Game 1 of their PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup semifinal on Wednesday.
Castro topscored with 24 points, Hollis-Jefferson contributed 23, and Oftana had 22 including 12 in the second quarter as the Tropang Giga reasserted their mastery of the Elasto Painters at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
READ FULL STORY HERE
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FEBRUARY 9
Ginebra outlasts Meralco in Game 3, reaches semis vs NorthPort
ANTIPOLO - Barangay Ginebra relied on clutch shots from Justin Brownlee and RJ Abarrientos to reach the PBA 49th Season Commissioner's Cup semifinals by outdueling Meralco, 94-87, on Sunday at the packed Ynares Center.
Brownlee and Abarrientos spearheaded the Gin Kings' attack in the final minutes to eliminate the Bolts in an intense Game 3 that saw Meralco active consultant Nenad Vucinic get thrown out with 5:41 left for a rant against a referee.
The Gin Kings took control the rest of the way to beat the Bolts for the sixth time in seven meetings this season, wrap up the best-of-three series, 2-1, and arrange a best-of-seven semifinal series against No. 1 seed NorthPort.
READ FULL STORY HERE
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Rain or Shine beats Converge in Game 3, advances to PBA semis
ANTIPOLO - Deon Thompson and Adrian Nocum led Rain or Shine's attack on all fronts to oust Converge, 112-103, on Sunday in do-or-die Game Three of the PBA 49th Season Commissioner's Cup quarterfinals at the Ynares Center.
Thompson dominated inside while Nocum proved unstoppable from the outside again as the Elasto Painters won the sudden-death battle between the pro league's most competitive independent teams.
Rain or Shine, seeded sixth in the playoffs, arranged another best-of-seven semifinal duel against No. 2 TNT in a rematch of their Final Four clash in the 2024 Governors' Cup just last conference.
READ FULL STORY HERE
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FEBRUARY 7
Rain or Shine finishes strong to beat Converge, force decider
ADRIAN Nocum led a blistering shooting performance as Rain or Shine defeated Converge, 114-104, on Friday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium to force a knockout game in their PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup quarterfinal series.
Nocum finished with a conference-high and playoff personal best 28 points to spark the Elasto Painters especially in the second half as they extended the best-of-three series to a sudden death on Sunday, 5 p.m. at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City.
READ FULL STORY HERE
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Meralco beats Ginebra to set stage for do-or-die Game 3
MERALCO picked up its first win of the season against Barangay Ginebra, 108-104, on Friday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium, extending their PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup quarterfinal to a rubber match.
Chris Newsome scored 24 points, Cliff Hodge added 17 points, and Jansen Rios chipped in 15 as the Bolts captured their first victory over the Gin Kings on the sixth attempt this season to tie best-of-three series at 1-1.
READ FULL STORY HERE
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FEBRUARY 6
TNT sends PBA guest team Eastern packing at Final Eight stage
TNT cruised to a 109-93 win over Eastern on Thursday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium to advance to the semifinals of the PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup.
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson tallied 31 points, 15 rebounds, and three steals while Jayson Castro had 13 of his 16 points in the pivotal third quarter to send the Tropang Giga to their second Final Four appearance of the season.
By sending home the guest team from Hong Kong, the second-seeded TNT will take on either Converge or Rain or Shine in the best-of-seven semifinals to be held after Gilas Pilipinas' campaign in the February FIBA window.
It was the end of the road for the guest team after falling to its third straight loss including two in the eliminations.
READ FULL STORY HERE
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NorthPort shows Magnolia the door with a gritty stand in endgame
NORTHPORT survived a late Magnolia fightback to pull off a 113-110 win on Thursday and reach the semifinals of the PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
The top-seeded Batang Pier will play in the semifinals for only the third time in franchise history against either Barangay Ginebra or Meralco after putting an end to the Hotshots’ campaign in the conference.
To do so, NorthPort had to overcome a desperate final stand by Magnolia led by Paul Lee, who made two four-pointers down the stretch to give the eighth-seeded Hotshots a shot at stealing it in the endgame.
Lee, however, missed a four-point attempt in the final seconds with the Hotshots down by three.
READ FULL STORY HERE
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FEBRUARY 5
Ginebra asserts mastery of Meralco, takes 1-0 series lead
BARANGAY Ginebra went on a furious finishing kick to upend Meralco, 100-92, on Wednesday night in the PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup quarterfinals at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
The third-seeded Gin Kings asserted their mastery of the Bolts, winning their fifth game of the season against their perennial playoff rivals to move one win away from a place in the semifinals.
Scottie Thompson and Justin Brownlee had 23 points each for the Gin Kings, who closed the game with a 13-7 run after being down by two, 87-85.
READ FULL STORY HERE
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Converge takes Game One as Rain or Shine import fouls out early
CHEICK Diallo had 35 points, 17 rebounds, and three blocks as Converge overcame an early 17-point deficit to defeat Rain or Shine, 130-118, on Wednesday in their PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup quarterfinal opener at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
Diallo dominated after the Rain or Shine import Deon Thompson fouled out on three quick whistles with 8:34 left in the third quarter, leading the third-seeded FiberXers to a 1-0 lead in their best-of-three quarterfinal series.
The FiberXers can clinch the franchise’s first semifinal appearance with another win in Game Two on Friday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
READ FULL STORY HERE
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FEBRUARY 2
Magnolia blows away NLEX to catch last bus to PBA playoffs
MAGNOLIA punched the last ticket to the PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup quarterfinals by whipping NLEX, 112-81, in a knockout game on Sunday at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City.
Ricardo Ratliffe outplayed Best Import statistical leader Mike Watkins, finishing with 32 points, 14 rebounds, and two blocks as the Hotshots won their fourth straight game to clinch the No. 8 spot in the quarterfinals.
Magnolia arranged a quarterfinal showdown with No. 1 NorthPort, but will need to win twice to advance in another do-or-die situation.
READ FULL STORY HERE
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JANUARY 31
Rain or Shine downs TNT to dodge battle for No. 8
RAIN or Shine claimed the No. 6 spot in the playoffs after beating TNT, 106-96, on Friday at the close of the PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup elimination round at the Philsports Arena.
The Elasto Painters avoided a playoff for the No. 8 spot in the quarterfinals after pulling away from the Tropang Giga midway through the fourth quarter.
With the result, the stage is set for the quarterfinals with Rain or Shine facing third-seed Converge in a best-of-three series, instead of having to take on Magnolia in the match for the No. 8 spot on Sunday.
The Tropang Giga, on the other hand, still secured the No. 2 seed and twice-to-beat advantage in the next round where they will battle No. 7 Eastern.
READ FULL STORY HERE
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Magnolia stays alive for No. 8 spot after shutting down Meralco
MAGNOLIA extended its conference on Friday, outclassing Meralco, 129-92, to arrange a playoff for No. 8 in the quarterfinals of the PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup.
Ricardo Ratliffe had 31 points and 19 rebounds to set the stage for the rout at the Philsports Arena for the Hotshots against a Bolts squad that sat out Akil Mitchell for the second straight game, and practically had nothing to play for in the match-up in having alraedy sealed the fifth-seed.
The Hotshots will fight for the No. 8 spot on Sunday at the Ynares Center.
READ FULL STORY HERE
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JANUARY 29
Ginebra holds off all-Filipino Meralco, moves up to joint third
BARANGAY Ginebra asserted its mastery of Meralco, 91-87, on Wednesday in its final game of the eliminations of the PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
The Gin Kings held off an all-Filipino Bolts side in game where the second and third stringers played the bulk of the minutes in the fourth quarter.
By holding on late, Ginebra wrapped up the eliminations with an 8-4 win-loss record and clinched a provisional tie with Converge for third place in the standings.
READ FULL STORY HERE
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NLEX win over Eastern slams playoff door on San Miguel
NLEX shut the door on San Miguel’s quarterfinal bid and clinched at least a playoff for the No. 8 spot after a 94-76 rout of Eastern on Wednesday in the PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
The Road Warriors closed the eliminations with a 6-6 win-loss record to move a step closer to advancing to the next phase, in the process keeping the idle Beermen out of the playoffs for the first time since 2015.
NLEX can gain an outright quarterfinal seat with a Magnolia defeat against Meralco on Friday in the final day of the eliminations.
READ FULL STORY HERE
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JANUARY 26
TNT's blowout win deals San Miguel playoff hopes a serious blow
ANTIPOLO – TNT dealt San Miguel's bid for a seat in the quarterfinals a serious blow after pulling off a 115-97 rout on Sunday in the PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup at the Ynares Center.
The Tropang Giga went on a 31-21 tear in the third quarter and never looked back, boosting their own shot at a twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals after taking solo second place on an 8-3 win-loss record.
The Beermen capped their disappointing elimination-round campaign with a 5-7 win-loss slate, their quest to make it to the quarterfinals hanging in the balance and now resting on the results of games featuring NLEX and Magnolia.
A win by either the Road Warriors or the Hotshots in their final eliminations game will oust the Beermen from quarterfinal contention. A loss by both teams will give SMB life as it will send the Beermen into a playoff for the No. 8 against NLEX.
READ FULL STORY HERE
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Magnolia Hotshots avoid elimination with blowout win over Eastern
ANTIPOLO – Magnolia kept its hopes alive for a quarterfinal berth by defeating Eastern, 107-78, on Sunday in the PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup at the Ynares Center.
Ricardo Ratliffe had 25 points, 16 rebounds, and seven assists, Zavier Lucero scored 20 points and grabbed nine rebounds, and the Hotshots improved to 5-6 to stay in the hunt for at least the eighth and final spot in the quarterfinals.
Magnolia stood defiant in a game where a loss would have taken it out of the playoff picture, opening a big lead early then never giving the guest team from Hong Kong any opening to mount a comeback.
READ FULL STORY HERE
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JANUARY 25
NLEX demolishes RoS to keep in step with SMB for final QFs spot
ANTIPOLO – NLEX picked up a huge win in its quarterfinal aspirations, defeating Rain or Shine, 122-110, on Saturday in the PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup at the Ynares Center.
Robert Bolick led six NLEX players in double figures with 40 points as the Road Warriors secured their second straight win in the penultimate game of their elimination round schedule.
He also dished out 10 assists in a double-double effort.
More importantly, the Road Warriors are now tied with San Miguel at eighth place with a 5-6 win-loss record, intensifying the battle for the last spot in the quarterfinals.
READ FULL STORY HERE
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NorthPort ends elims on hot streak after blasting Blackwater
ANTIPOLO – NorthPort boosted its bid to claim a twice-to-beat advantage in the quarterfinals with a 120-93 romp over Blackwater on Saturday in the PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup at the Ynares Center.
Kadeem Jack had 30 points, while Joshua Munzon led the local crew on offense with 21 points, as the Batang Pier closed the eliminations with a 9-3 win-loss record.
Arvin Tolentino also had a triple-double of 14 points, 10 rebounds, and 11 assists to help NorthPort deal the still-George King-less Bossing a 3-9 win-loss record at the end of their campaign this conference.
READ FULL STORY HERE
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JANUARY 24
San Miguel survives a fiery Converge fightback - barely
ANTIPOLO - Juami Tiongson delivered his best performance in a San Miguel uniform as the Beermen overcame a late Converge rally to pick up a critical 116-113 win on Friday in the PBA 49th Season Commissioner's Cup at the Ynares Center.
Tiongson scored 22 points for the Beermen, who barely held on in the face of a fiery Converge fightback from a 19-point deficit to stay in the playoff picture at eighth place with a 5-6 win-loss card.
READ FULL STORY HERE
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Stung by Terrafirma, TNT vents ire on Phoenix in 36-point blowout
ANTIPOLO – TNT came away with a huge bounce-back win over Phoenix, 106-70, on Friday in the PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup at the Ynares Center.
The Tropang Giga led by as many as 40 points as they took no chances days after their 117-108 defeat to lowly Terrafirma, where they trailed by as many as 31.
The 36-point win was the biggest margin of victory by any team this conference.
By returning to its winning ways, TNT regained a share of third spot with Eastern and Meralco and got back in the hunt for a twice-to-beat incentive in the quarterfinals.
READ FULL STORY HERE
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JANUARY 22
Quick-fire Ginebra clinches playoff berth after rout of Rain or Shine
ANTIPOLO – Barangay Ginebra went on a fiery start and never looked back to rout Rain or Shine, 120-92, and clinch a quarterfinals berth on Wednesday in the PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup at the Ynares Center.
The Gin Kings opened the match with a 17-3 lead and were not seriously threatened from there in a crucial win that assured them safe passage to the playoffs and a shot at a higher seeding in the quarterfinals.
After starting the match at No. 7, Ginebra breached the Top Six with a 7-4 win-loss record, avoiding, at least for the moment, the last two spots in the quarterfinals with one game to play against Meralco on January 29.
Rain or Shine, meanwhile, lost for the third time over its last four games to slip to 6-4 and at seventh place in a crowded leaderboard with two matches left in the elims, including a Saturday game against NLEX.
READ FULL STORY HERE
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Terrafirma rides Mark Nonoy's 33 points to claim TNT scalp
ANTIPOLO – Mark Nonoy heated up with 33 points as Terrafirma pulled off an unlikely victory over erstwhile league-leader TNT, 117-108, on Wednesday at the close of the Dyip’s PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup campaign at the Ynares Center.
The Terrafirma rookie came out firing on all cylinders, highlighting his career game with a buzzer-beating four-pointer at the end of the third quarter for a 99-70 lead.
The Dyip led by as many as 31 points, with a Nonoy three also pouring cold water on a TNT rally and giving his side a 115-99 lead.
While it was Terrafirma's only win in 12 games in the midseason conference, the Dyip have now beaten TNT twice in a row after their 84-72 victory over the Tropang Giga last September 19 in the Governors' Cup.
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JANUARY 21
Kadeem the redeemer as NorthPort averts major collapse vs SMB
ANTIPOLO - Kadeem Jack scored on a turnaround jumper with 16.7 seconds as NorthPort averted a major collapse against San Miguel, 105-104, on Tuesday to snap a two-game losing skid in the PBA Season 49 Commissioner's Cup.
Jack's clutch basket enabled NorthPort to retake the lead after it squandered all of a 24-point advantage against an SMB side that made just 42 percent of its shots and got just four points in 23 minutes from import Malik Pope.
The Batang Pier regrouped just in time to improve to a 8-3 (win-loss) record, reclaim a share of second place with Converge behind leader TNT, and complete a sweep of all San Miguel Corp. teams in the single-round eliminations.
The Beermen fell to 4-6 in a tie for the eighth and final quarterfinal spot with sister team Magnolia and NLEX.
READ FULL STORY HERE
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Import-less Blackwater plays best game yet in stunner vs Phoenix
ANTIPOLO – Blackwater found unlikely heroes in the absence of import George King to defeat Phoenix, 100-92, on Tuesday in the PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup at the Ynares Center.
Justin Chua scored 22 points while getting support from veterans JVee Casio and Jewel Ponferada, who both hit conference-highs as an all-Filipino Blackwater side won for just the third time in 11 games, keeping its quarterfinal hopes alive pending the result of the second game between San Miguel and NorthPort.
Phoenix fell to 3-8 after its third straight loss as Blackwater played with a lot of heart after King was ruled out due to an injury, getting timely scoring from players like Christian David and Mike Ayonayon.
READ FULL STORY HERE
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JANUARY 19
NLEX rips Phoenix to snap out of five-game slump, revive playoff hopes
ANTIPOLO – NLEX finally put an end to its losing skid, beating Phoenix, 108-94, on Sunday in the PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup at the Ynares Center.
Robert Bolick had 26 points and nine assists while Mike Watkins had 22 points and 18 rebounds as the Road Warriors snapped a five-game slump and stayed in the hunt for a place in the playoffs.
Three more NLEX players scored in double figures with rookie Jonnel Policarpio making 17 points and nine rebounds as the Road Warriors improved to 4-6, tying Magnolia for ninth in the 13-team leaderboard.
READ FULL STORY HERE
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Converge moves up to solo second place after rout of Blackwater
ANTIPOLO – Converge maintained its top form in its penultimate game of the eliminations, defeating Blackwater, 127-109, on Sunday in the PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup at the Ynares Center.
Jordan Heading scored 22 points while Justine Baltazar had a PBA career-high 20 points to go with 10 rebounds, three assists and two shotblocks in the blowout win - the FiberXers' eighth in 11 games.
That enabled the FiberXers to climb all the way to solo second place in a crowded PBA leaderboard ahead of their important game to cap off the eliminations against San Miguel on Friday.
READ FULL STORY HERE
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JANUARY 18
Meralco shackles SMB late to join four-way logjam at second place
MERALCO kept its winning streak going, holding off San Miguel 100-93 on Saturday in the PBA 49th Season Commissioner's Cup at the Candon City Arena.
The Bolts won their third straight game following another solid defensive effort where they limited their opponent once again to less than 100 points.
Meralco improved to 7-3 joining NorthPort, Converge, and Eastern in the logjam at No. 2. San Miguel slid to 4-5 to remain at eighth place in the standings.
READ FULL STORY HERE
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JANUARY 17
TNT withstands late Ginebra comeback for sixth straight win
CALVIN Oftana fired 32 points behind a fiery 6-of-12 shooting on threes as TNT stretched its winning streak to six by overcoming Barangay Ginebra, 91-86, in the PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup at the Philsports Arena.
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson added 25 points and 13 rebounds while going a perfect 13-of-13 from the free-throw line as the Tropang Giga asserted their mastery of the Gin Kings in a rematch of the Governors’ Cup Finals last November.
TNT moved up to 6-2 to take solo first place in the leaderboard while sending Ginebra down to seventh place on a 6-4 mark.
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Eastern boosts bid for Top Two spot, keeps Terrafirma winless
EASTERN played in all but five minutes with an all-Chinese line-up but was still too good for cellar-dweller Terrafirma, 134-110, on Friday in the PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup at the Philsports Arena.
Six locals led by Ramon Cao and Steven Guinchard scored in double figures as the Hong Kong-based guest team secured a berth in the quarterfinals even with import Chris McLaughlin seeing action for only five minutes due to an injury.
Eastern played its third game in three days across three leagues with different line-ups, but still managed to pull off its seventh win in 10 PBA games to join NorthPort and Converge at second place.
Terrafirma’s woes continued after conceding the most points this conference, staying winless in 11 games with Governors’ Cup champion TNT serving as its final game of the conference on January 22.
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JANUARY 16
Magnolia revives flickering playoff hopes by holding off Phoenix
MAGNOLIA secured a key win to boost its flagging quarterfinal bid, beating Phoenix, 110-104, on Thursday in the PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup at the Philsports Arena.
The Hotshots led by as many as 14 points and held on for a change, arresting the trend, at least for this game, of blowing big leads in the endgame.
Magnolia improved to 4-6 win-loss to stay at ninth but now only one game behind San Miguel (4-4). Phoenix slipped to 3-6, snapping its two-game winning streak.
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Rain or Shine snaps out of slump as NorthPort loses winning touch
RAIN or Shine snapped out of a two-game losing skid by defeating erstwhile league solo leader NorthPort, 127-107, on Thursday in the PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup at the Philsports Arena.
The Elasto Painters never trailed in the ballgame that saw an end to their mid-conference wobble and hiked their record to 6-3 (win-loss) - good for a share of fourth place with Eastern, Barangay Ginebra, and Meralco.
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JANUARY 15
TNT makes it five straight wins at the expense of slumping NLEX
TNT kept its hot streak going on Wednesday, overcoming NLEX, 94-87, for its fifth straight win in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson had 23 points, 14 rebounds, seven assists, and three blocks as the Tropang Giga moved up to 5-2 - good for second place based on winning percentage to put themselves in contention for one of the top two places in the quarterfinals.
NLEX slipped to 10th place after a fifth successive srtback, joining Magnolia at 3-6.
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Blackwater keeps Terrafirma winless in battle of PBA strugglers
BLACKWATER snapped a four-game losing skid, capturing only its second win at the expense of fellow minnow Terrafirma, 96-86, on Wednesday in the PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
George King had his usual impact offensively while Justin Chua and Mike Ayonayon stepped up among the locals in the win that improved Blackwater’s record to 2-7 and kept its flickering quarterfinal hopes alive.
Terrafirma stayed winless through 10 games.
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JANUARY 14
Converge brings down Rain or Shine as frustrated Guiao ejected
CONVERGE rallied from an early 17-point deficit to defeat Rain or Shine, 103-96, on Tuesday in a battle of on-the-rise independent teams in the PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
Alec Stockton stood out among a host of players who helped the FiberXers buck a slow start and pull off a huge team that lifted them all the way to second place in the eliminations on a 7-3 (win-loss) record.
Rain or Shine suffered its second straight defeat and fell to 5-3, dropping from second all the way down to seventh place after a game that left coach Yeng Guiao so frustrated he got ejected on successive technicals.
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Meralco Bolts deal league-leading NorthPort a reality check
MERALCO lit it up from three-point land in the final quarter to take down league-leader NorthPort, 111-94, on Tuesday in the PBA 49th Commissioner’s Cup at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
Aside from their fiery shooting, the Bolts' defense limited the usually high-scoring Batang Pier to their fewest points in a game this conference on the way to their sixth win in nine outings.
NorthPort dropped to 7-2, losing big less than a week after bringing down tournament favorite Barangay Ginebra last Wednesday.
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JANUARY 12
Two Lassiter treys for SMB slam door on hard-fighting Magnolia
ANTIPOLO – Marcio Lassiter drained two critical threes in the final two minutes to send San Miguel to an important 85-78 win over Magnolia on Sunday in the PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup at the Ynares Center.
CJ Perez also buried a huge three in the final seconds as the Beermen snapped a two-game losing skid, finally winning against a traditional contender in the Hotshots.
San Miguel evened its record to 4-4 while dealing Magnolia its sixth loss in nine games.
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Ginebra celebrates Malonzo return with romp over Blackwater
ANTIPOLO – Barangay Ginebra blew away Blackwater, 86-63, to celebrate the return of high-flyer Jamie Malonzo on Sunday in the PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup at the Ynares Center.
The Gin Kings bounced back from a surprising defeat to NorthPort last Wednesday to improve to 6-3, sharing the same record as Converge and Eastern, and with TNT (4-2) in terms of winning percentage for joint third place.
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JANUARY 11
Tuffin tip-in propels Phoenix to massive upset over Rain or Shine
PHOENIX has claimed the scalp of another top-tier team in the PBA 49th Season Commissioner's Cup.
Kenneth Tuffin scored a follow-up with 0.7 seconds left as the Fuel Masters claimed their second straight victory, beating second-running Rain or Shine, 93-91, on Saturday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
Donovan Smith also made the key shots in the fourth with the support of the local crew led by Tyler Tio as the Fuelmasters got back into the quarterfinal race by improving to 3-5.
Phoenix defeated another league-leader, as the Fuelmasters also brought down current No. 1 NorthPort several weeks ago.
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Surging TNT blanks Converge late to take fourth straight win
RONDAE Hollis-Jefferson buried a fade away shot, and made a key stop in the end game as TNT extended its winning streak with four with a 98-96 win over Converge on Saturday in the PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
Hollis-Jefferson hit the marginal shot with 1:07 left to hit the go-ahead basket for the Tropang Giga, while also making key defensive plays in the final moments to tow his squad to the win.
Converge came up empty in two crucial plays including a stop by Hollis-Jefferson, who swiped the ball away from Cheick Diallo with nine seconds to play, snapping the FiberXers’ four-game winning run.
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JANUARY 10
Meralco unleashes big finishing kick to take fight out of NLEX
MERALCO went on a huge finishing kick to pummel NLEX, 105-91, on Friday night and get back to its winning ways in the PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
Akil Mitchell had 24 points and 11 rebounds while five other players scored in double digits for the Bolts, who bounced back from their close defeat to TNT to improve their record to 5-3.
The Bolts finished the game on a 28-13 blast to break open what until then was a tight contest, dealing the Road Warriors their fourth straight loss and fifth in eight games overall.
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Magnolia survives tough Terrafirma stand to revive playoff hopes
MAGNOLIA gave Terrence Romeo a rude reception in his Terrafirma debut as the Hotshots got back to their winning ways by beating the Dyip, 89-84, on Friday in the PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
Ricardo Ratliffe dominated early and finished with 32 points and 14 rebounds as the Hotshots revived their playoff hopes with just their third win in eight games while ousting the winless Dyip from quarterfinal contention.
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JANUARY 8
NorthPort stands ground in thriller, ends losing streak vs Ginebra
NORTHPORT finally snapped a five-year skid over Barangay Ginebra, escaping with a 119-116 win on Wednesday in a thrilling PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup game at the Philsports Arena.
The Batang Pier ended a 14-game losing streak against the Gin Kings that spanned five years and, in so doing, passed their toughest test yet this conference to remain on top of the team standings with a 7-1 win-loss mark.
NorthPort wobbled in the stretch run as Ginebra came roaring back from an 18-point deficit, but Kadeem Jack, Arvin Tolentino and Joshua Munzon made crucial baskets in the final moments to keep the Kings at bay.
Barangay Ginebra slipped to 5-3 after seeing a two-game winning streak snapped.
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Rain or Shine makes it five straight wins at Blackwater's expense
RAIN or Shine built a huge lead early to whip Blackwater, 122-106, on Wednesday and stretch its winning streak to five in the PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup at the Philsports Arena.
The Elasto Painters showed no signs of rust from the holiday break as they jumped to their biggest lead at 39-16 in the first quarter, enough to keep the Bossing the rest of the way en route to a 5-1 win-loss mark.
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JANUARY 7
Clutch RHJ free throws save TNT in face of fiery Meralco comeback
RONDAE Hollis-Jefferson buried two free throws with 10 seconds left as TNT survived a fiery Meralco comeback, 101-99, on Tuesday night in the PBA 49th Season Commissioner's Cup at the Philsports Arena.
Hollis-Jefferson's timely heroics enabled TNT to preserve its third straight win, overcoming a late rally by Meralco from the depths of a 23-point deficit.
Hollis-Jefferson scored 24 points and grabbed 13 rebounds, staying on the floor while playing with five fouls long enough to make the game-winning free throws.
Calvin Oftana fired three treys to end up with 24 points on an efficient 9-for-15 shooting from the field as TNT continued its asent after starting the conference with an 0-2 mark.
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Rare Phoenix win extends Terrafirma drought to eight games
PHOENIX opened the new year with a 122-108 win over hapless Terrafirma on Tuesday in the PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup at the Philsports Arena.
Donovan Smith had 37 points and five blocks for the Fuelmasters, who improved to 2-5 and returned to their winning ways in their first game of 2025.
The Fuelmasters outscored the Dyip, 31-13, after a slow start and sent the league's perennial cellar-dwellers reeling to an eighth straight defeat.
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JANUARY 5
Ginebra's masterful win gives SMB a giant holiday hangover
TROY Rosario tallied 22 points and 10 rebounds in his best game with Barangay Ginebra in a masterful 93-81 win over San Miguel on Sunday in the PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
The Gin Kings also got big numbers from usual suspects Justin Brownlee, Stephen Holt, Scottie Thompson and RJ Abarrientos to post a fitting follow-up to their epic comeback against Magnolia in their Christmas-Day Clasico.
While Ginebra improved to 5-2 (win-loss), the Beermen continued to stuggle as they lost their second straight game over the holidays and slipped to 3-4.
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Meralco relies on defense, hustle to pin rare loss on Eastern
MERALCO snapped a two-game losing skid by overcoming Eastern, 88-83, on Sunday in the PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
Akil Mitchell led the way with with 31 points, 14 rebounds, five assists, and seven steals while Meralco's vaunted defense finally showed up as Eastern’s 83 points was the least the Bolts conceded this conference.
Meralco improved to 4-2 while dealing Eastern just its third loss in nine games – but its second in its last three matches.
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DECEMBER 25
Scottie three finishes epic Ginebra comeback in Christmas Clasico
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.
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.
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Heading shines, Balti breaks out as Converge ends year on a roll
JORDAN Heading and Justine Baltazar broke out in their first Christmas Day game in the PBA as Converge won its fourth straight game by beating Meralco, 110-94, on Wednesday in the Commissioner’s Cup at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
Heading and Baltazar led the charge of the locals as the FiberXers improved their record to 6-2, while dealing the Bolts their second straight loss in five matches.
Heading had 30 points, six rebounds, and eight assists, while Baltazar had 16 points, seven rebounds, and four assists in the win by Converge, which also got 24 points and 19 rebounds from import Cheick Diallo.
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DECEMBER 22
Eastern asserts mastery of SMB, spoils Jabari Narcis debut
EASTERN asserted its mastery of San Miguel Beer, beating the reigning PBA Commissioner's Cup champion in overtime, 99-91, on Sunday at the Philsports Arena.
Glen Yang finished with 26 points and spearheaded a closing 9-0 run that enabled the guest team to beat the Beermen for the second time in four days.
The first of those back-to-back wins came at home in the EASL for the Hong Kong-based outfit, 72-61, last Wednesday on the road.
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Rain or Shine regroups just in time to dodge bullet vs Terrafirma
RAIN or Shine held Terrafirma scoreless in a five-minute stretch of the fourth quarter to pull away for a 124-112 win in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup on Sunday at the Philsports Arena.
The Elasto Painters went on an 8-0 run during that Dyip scoring drought to finally shake off a Terrafirma side that dictated the game behind the inspired play of Louie Sangalang
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DECEMBER 21
Alec Stockton sparks massive Converge comeback vs. Ginebra
CONVERGE rose from a 17-point deficit to defeat Barangay Ginebra, 98-91, on Saturday in the PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup at the Batangay City Sports Coliseum.
The FiberXers won after being down, 55-38, to pick up their third straight victory at the expense of a perennial title contender in the Gin Kings, a huge accomplishment for a young franchise who are out to make a mark this conference.
Converge improved to 5-2, with Barangay Ginebra going down to 3-2.
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DECEMBER 20
Magnolia outlasts NLEX in overtime to snap four-game slump
ZAVIER Lucero and Mark Barroca came through with clutch baskets in overtime as Magnolia outlasted NLEX, 99-95, and finally snapped out of a four-game losing skid in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup.
Lucero kept the Hotshots ahead with big shots early in the extra period before Barroca scored on a driving layup to put the team in front for good, 96-95, in a game of wildly changing fortunes.
Import Ricardo Ratfliffe finished with a monster game of 38 points, 19 rebounds, and two free throws that clinched the win for the Hotshots, who played without top star Paul Lee after he was sidelined by a freak accident during the warm-ups.
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Unhappy Eastern as NorthPort claims win, solo PBA lead
NORTHPORT promptly got back to winning ways in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup, subduing guest team Eastern, 120-113, on Friday at the Philsports Arena.
The Batang Pier went on a scoring spree in the second quarter, pouring in 36 points behind the combined efforts of import Kadeem Jack and Arvin Tolentino.
That was enough for Northport to gain control of the match. The Batang Pier then turned back repeated rallies by the Hong Kong-based squad.
Tolentino finished with 35 points on 10-of-16 shooting, including 18 in the opening half. Jack led Northport with 38 points and was a perfect 12-of-12 from the free throw line.
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DECEMBER 19
TNT welcomes Jayson Castro back with win over Blackwater
TNT bagged its second straight victory in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup on Thursday, blowing out Blackwater, 109-93, at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
The Tropang Giga welcomed the return of Governors’ Cup finals MVP Jayson Castro with a win after he missed the first three games due to an injury.
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Rey Nambatac, and Calvin Oftana also fueled the Tropang Giga to a rout, evening its record to 2-2 to wrap up its memorable 2024 before they head to the holiday break.
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Converge makes it back-to-back wins at the expense of Phoenix
CONVERGE overcame a flat start to defeat Phoenix, 116-105, on Thursday and post its first win streak in the PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
The FiberXers fell behind, 20-2, but mounted a comeback in the second half to grab their first back-to-back wins of the conference and improve to 4-2 (win-loss).
Converge dealt Phoenix its fifth loss in six games ahead of the FiberXers’ marquee clash against Barangay Ginebra on Saturday in Batangas City.
Jordan Heading had 21 points, six assists, and five steals for the FiberXers while fellow rookie Justine Baltazar had 13 rebounds - 8 of them from the offensive end - in his best game in Asia's pioneering pro league.
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DECEMBER 18
Brownlee's 49 points spare Ginebra blushes against Terrafirma
BARANGAY Ginebra got back to its winning ways, beating Terrafirma, 114-98, on Wednesday night in the PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
Justin Brownlee exploded for 49 points as he regained his shooting touch after missing four fours and six threes in the Kings' loss to guest team Eastern last week.
Ginebra improved to 3-1 even with Stephen Holt and Japeth Aguilar out due to an injury as Terrafirma remained winless through six games.
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Gritty Rain or Shine comeback piles more woes on Magnolia
RAIN or Shine went on a 13-0 finishing kick to beat Magnolia, 102-100, on Wednesday in the PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
The Elasto Painters overcame a 100-89 deficit with Adrian Nocum nailing the go-ahead shot at the 3:27-mark - a lead they eventually kept until the final buzzer in a wild ending that saw both sides go scoreless in the final four minutes.
Rain or Shine claimed its third straight win to improve to 3-1 (win-loss) while Magnolia slumped to its fourth consecutive defeat to fall to 1-4.
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DECEMBER 17
Phoenix finally gets act together, deals NorthPort its first loss
THIS time, there’s no endgame meltdown for Phoenix.
The Fuel Masters caught a big fish in Northport on Tuesday night as they dealt the league- leading Batang Pier their first loss in the PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup, 115-109, at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
Unlike in its previous games, Phoenix kept the lead for the most part and then weathered a fourth-quarter fightback by Northport to finally snap out of a four-game losing streak to start the midseason conference.
It was the first loss in six outings for Northport, which fell short of setting the best winning streak in franchise history following the setback.
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Converge gets Balti his first PBA win by holding off NLEX
CHEICK Diallo bounced back big time and led Converge to a 102-91 win over NLEX on Tuesday in the PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
Diallo registered monster numbers of 37 points and 18 rebounds to help the FiberXers get back above the .500 mark with a 3-2 record as he made up for two sluggish games where he averaged a measly 11.5 points.
The win also marked the first for top rookie pick Justine Baltazar after losing in his debut game against Northport last week.
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DECEMBER 15
Eastern escapes with a win over weary, misfiring Ginebra
ANTIPOLO - A well-rested Eastern team brought down a weary Barangay Ginebra, 93-90, on Sunday night in the PBA 49th Season Commissioner's Cup at the Ynares Center.
The Hong Kong-based squad won their third straight game while coming off a five-day break, taking down another perennial title contender in a Ginebra side that played its third game in five days
Eastern had also beaten TNT, the Governors' Cup champion, in this current win streak. It will face another PBA powerhouse in the EASL in reigning Commissioner's Cup titlist San Miguel on Wednesday in Hong Kong.
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SMB cruises past Blackwater for second win since Austria return
ANTIPOLO – San Miguel took its second straight win since Leo Austria returned as head coach, defeating Blackwater, 115-102, on Sunday in the PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup at the Ynares Center.
The Beermen finally put the game away midway through the fourth quarter behind June Mar Fajardo, who took charge with 27 points and 22 rebounds in a game which the Bossing surprisingly kept close up until that point.
SMB improved to 3-2 (win-loss) after Austria was reinstalled as head coach last Friday.
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DECEMBER 13
Ginebra finishes strong against Phoenix for second straight win
BARANGAY Ginebra picked up its second straight win in three days, defeating Phoenix, 94-72, on Friday in the PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
The Gin Kings went on a 12-0 tear to start the fourth quarter to take full control of the game and start the conference with a 2-0 win-loss record.
The Fuelmasters lost for the fourth straight time to stay winless in the conference.
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SMB beats Terrafirma in coach Leo Austria's first game back
SAN Miguel welcomed Leo Austria back as its head coach with a rousing 106-88 victory over Terrafirma on Friday in the PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
The Beermen snapped a two-game losing streak following the return of nine-time champion coach Austria replacing Jorge Gallent, who after a little over a year in charge slid down to a consultant role.
Torren Jones also began his stint as San Miguel import with a victory, the Beermen’s second in four games, while dealing the Dyip their fifth defeat.
Austria got San Miguel back to its winning ways after a pulling away from a 65-64 lead, and turning the close tussle into a rout.
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DECEMBER 12
Blackwater breaks through, deals all-Filipino Meralco first loss
BLACKWATER finally notched a win in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup, posting a 114-98 victory over a badly-undermanned and import-less Meralco side Thursday night at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
The Bossing went to import George King and top rookie Sedric Barefield in the final quarter as the duo delivered to give the team its first victory in four outings so far.
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Munzon clutch again as NorthPort spoils Balti's Converge debut
NORTHPORT spoiled the debut of top rookie pick Justine Baltazar behind a 108-101 win over Converge to keep the top spot in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup.
Joshua Munzon nailed back-to-back three pointers to break a tight 97-97 game and give the Batang Pier a six-point lead, it would never relinquish on the way to the thrilling win.
The Batang Pier remained unbeaten with a 5-0 record, its finest start in franchise history and equaling the team’s longest winning streak.
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DECEMBER 11
Ginebra opens campaign looking sharp in masterful win over NLEX
STEPHEN Holt and the rest of Barangay Ginebra welcomed Troy Rosario with a masterful 109-100 win over NLEX on Tuesday night in the PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
Holt caught fire from downtown in the third quarter to spark a Ginebra rampage that saw it outscore NLEX, 36-23, on the way to the win in the Kings' first game since Rosario came on board as an unrestricted free agent.
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TNT finally breaks duck, deals Magnolia a third straight loss
CALVIN Oftana lit up with nine threes to carry TNT to a 103-100 win over Magnolia on Wednesday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium - the Tropang Giga's first victory in the PBA 49th Season Commissioner's Cup.
Oftana connected on three straight three-pointers during a 9-3 blast that shifted the tide for good in TNT's favor, 71-64. He finished with 42 points as the Tropang Giga broke through for its win in its third match of the conference.
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DECEMBER 10
Nocum, fellow Rain or Shine young guns run SMB to the ground
RAIN or Shine went on a decisive run in the final quarter to outclass reigning champion San Miguel, 107-93, on Tuesday in the PBA 49th Season Commissioner's Cup at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.
The Elasto Painters went on a 12-0 run midway through the fourth quarter behind a barrage of baskets in the transition, turning a tight contest into a breezy finish to their second straight win after an opening loss.
Rain or Shine dealt San Miguel a second frustrating defeat, just a few days after it squandered a 19-point deficit in a loss to NLEX.
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Eastern clamps down on Blackwater, wins second in a row
EASTERN won its second straight game behind a blistering third-quarter that overwhelmed Blackwater, 84-75, on Tuesday in the PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup at the Filoil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.
Chris McLaughlin made an immediate impact in his first PBA game as import of the Hong Kong-based guest team, which outscored Blackwater, 27-9, in the third quarter of what until then was a close game.
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DECEMBER 8
Bolick goes off for 39 points as NLEX sends San Miguel crashing
ANTIPOLO – Robert Bolick put on a dazzling offensive show in the fourth quarter to rally NLEX past defending champion San Miguel, 104-99, in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup on Sunday night at the Ynares Center.
The explosive shooting guard knocked in 20 points in the final period including a step-back four-point shot that shattered the game’s final deadlock and put the Road Warriors right on track to their third win in four games, 98-94.
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Unbeaten NorthPort adds sloppy TNT to growing list of victims
ANTIPOLO – Northport remained undefeated in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup as it dealt TNT a second straight loss, 100-95, on Sunday night at the Ynares Center.
Joshua Munzon accounted for five of the Batang Pier’s last nine points, including a clutch three that gave them a 100-95 lead and left the error-prone Tropang Giga on the ropes with 1:26 remaining.
Munzon finished with 20 points and four steals in a franchise best fourth straight win that kept the giant-killers all alone at the top of the leaderboard.
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DECEMBER 6
Eastern deals TNT a beating in its conference debut
EASTERN gave TNT a rude reception in its PBA Commissioner’s Cup debut, dealing the newly crowned Governors' Cup champions a sound 105-84 beating to get back on the winning track on Friday night at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
Cameron Clark, Hayden Blankley, and Glen Yang teamed up in blowing out the Tropang Giga, who are coming off a successful championship campaign capped by a win over crowd favorite Barangay Ginebra in six games in the finals.
Eastern improved to a 3-1 record as it bounced back from a 99-81 loss to Rain or Shine just last Wednesday in a game where it missed the services of Yang owing to a passport hitch upon the return of the guest team from Hong Kong last Tuesday.
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Rios bails out Meralco with big trey as Terrafirma blows opportunity
JANSEN Rios buried a corner three with 9.4 seconds left as Meralco barely avoided an upset loss at the hands of minnow Terrafirma, 96-91, on Friday in the PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
The Bolts stayed unbeaten through three games but were made to sweat in the endgame, when the Dyip rode veteran Vic Manuel and young guard Brent Paraiso to tie the game at 91 after being down by nine in the final four minutes.
DJ Kennedy, temporarily taking over the spot of the injured Akil Mitchell, spotted Rios wide open at the right corner for the trey as Meralco kept NorthPort company at the top on 3-0 records while dealing Terrafirma its fourth defeat in as many games.
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DECEMBER 4
Rain or Shine deals PBA guest team Eastern its first loss
RAIN or Shine dealt guest team Eastern its first loss, 99-81, on Wednesday in the PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
Deon Thompson had a 21-point, 15-rebound double-double in his PBA debut as the Elasto Painters claimed their first win in fine style after their 10-point defeat to Meralco in their conference opener last Sunday.
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NorthPort takes win No. 3 as Munzon baskets foil Magnolia comeback
NORTHPORT passed its first acid test of the PBA 49th Season Commissioner's Cup with flying colors, defeating Magnolia Chicken Timplados, 107-103, to remain undefeated on Wednesday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
The Batang Pier stayed unscathed through three games, beating last season's conference runner-up in a thrilling game that went down to the wire. It was also NorthPort's first win over Magnolia in three years.
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DECEMBER 3
Super Marcio rescues SMB from disaster against Phoenix
MARCIO Lassiter buried a corner jumper with 2.6 seconds left and San Miguel opened its title-retention bid with a 107-104 win over Phoenix on Tuesday in the PBA 49th Season Commissioner's Cup at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
Lassiter's game-winner completed the Beermen's comeback from 16 points down to start the conference, dealing the Fuelmasters a deflating defeat in yet another game where they failed to hold on to a sizeable lead.
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NLEX deals woeful Terrafirma a third successive loss
ROBERT Bolick scored 32 points while Mike Watkins had 26 points and 30 rebounds as NLEX overcame Terrafirma, 104-85, on Tuesday in the PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
Bolick and Watkins pounced on Terrafirma’s decision not to play injury-hit import Ryan Richards in the second half as the Road Warriors put away their second straight win after an opening loss while dealing the Dyip a third straight defeat.
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DECEMBER 1
Meralco outlasts Rain or Shine in battle of import-less teams
ANTIPOLO – Meralco outlasted Rain or Shine, 121-111, on Sunday in a grindout all-Filipino showdown in the PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup at the Ynares Center.
The Bolts endured the premature departure of Akil Mitchell due to a nose injury suffered just 11 seconds into the game to beat the Elasto Painters, who started the game without reinforcement Deon Thompson due to his lack of a special work permit.
Meralco coach Luigi Trillo said Mitchell likely suffered a broken nose, raising a question on why a foul wasn't called in the play.
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Big Stockton plays complete Converge fightback vs Magnolia
ANTIPOLO – Justin Arana scored on a lay-up off a pass from Alec Stockton with 5.8 seconds left as Converge came back from a 20-point deficit to stun Magnolia, 93-91, on Sunday in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Ynares Center.
The heroics of Arana and Stockton enabled the FiberXers to come back from a 65-45 deficit and capture their second win in three games in a stretch of five days while dealing the Hotshots their first loss in two games.
Prior to making the Arana marginal basket, Stockton tied the game at 91-all with a gutsy pull-up three-pointer with 43.7 seconds left.
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NOVEMBER 30
Sizzling NorthPort jumps Terrafirma to take second straight win
ANTIPOLO – NorthPort cruised to a 113-101 win over an all-Filipino Terrafirma on Saturday in the PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup at the Ynares Center.
The Batang Pier claimed their second straight win, and took joint first place in the team standings along with Eastern as they took advantage of the absence of Ryan Richards in the game.
Technically, Richards actually played in the ballgame but was taken out of the game after just one second due to an injury.
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NLEX takes care of big lead this time to shun Blackwater
ANTIPOLO – NLEX erected another early big lead, but maintained it in the end this time around, beating Blackwater, 107-95, on Saturday in the PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup at the Ynares Center.
The Road Warriors opened the game with a 20-8 lead, and never looked back, just two days after they lost a 16-point advantage in their conference opener against NorthPort.
NLEX evened its record with a 1-1 win-loss record, while Blackwater, playing without rookie Sedrick Barefield, fell to 0-2.
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NOVEMBER 29
Eastern stays unbeaten, deals Converge a deflating defeat
EASTERN notched its second straight win, holding off Converge, 117-106, on Friday to take the solo lead in the PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
Cameron Clark knocked down key shots in the fourth quarter to keep Converge at bay and give Eastern a 2-0 (win-loss) card to start its guest stint in the local league.
Clark finished with 39 points, 15 rebounds, and two blocks for Eastern, which will return to Hong Kong to play in the domestic league before returning to Manila for their Wednesday clash against Rain or Shine.
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Mitchell's floater completes brave Meralco comeback vs Phoenix
AKIL Mitchell drained a floater with 1.3 seconds left to complete Meralco's comeback over Phoenix, 111-109, on Friday in the PBA 49th Season Commissioner's Cup at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
Mitchell's clutch shot completed the Bolts' comeback from 23 points down and claim a win in their first game of the conference while playing without a number of key players led by Allein Maliksi.
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NOVEMBER 28
Magnolia looks good with Ratliffe in opening win over Blackwater
MAGNOLIA routed Blackwater, 118-100, on Thursday to open its campaign in the PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
Ricardo Ratliffe had 30 points, 18 rebounds, five assists, and two blocks in an impressive all-around effort as he reintroduced himself to the league after spending the last seven years in the Korean league.
The Hotshots, however, missed Calvin Abueva in the second half after he suffered from neck spasms following an inadvertent elbow by Sedrick Barefield midway through the second quarter.
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NorthPort destroys NLEX by 27 points in impressive PBA debut
NORTHPORT dug itself out of a deep hole early then blew out NLEX, 114-87, on Thursday in the PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
The Batang Pier fell behind by as many as 16 points in the first quarter, but got out of the funk with a huge second period that saw them outscore the Road Warriors, 35-12.
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NOVEMBER 27
Eastern marks PBA debut with convincing win over Phoenix
EASTERN made a great first impression in its campaign as a guest team in the PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup, defeating Phoenix, 102-87, on Wednesday night at the Philsports Arena.
The Hong Kong-based team leaned on players who had extensive experience playing in the PBA, led by their import Cameron Clark and Hayden Blankley, in walloping an overmatched Fuelmasters side.
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Converge welcomes Heading with 29-point rout of Terrafirma
IN a conference that holds a lot of promise for the team, Converge opened with a bang.
The FiberXers clobbered shorthanded Terrafirma, 116-87, on Wednesday at the start of their PBA 49th Season Commissioner’s Cup at the Philsports Arena.
Cheick Diallo showed the way while Jordan Heading showed a glimpse of what he can do for Converge in the blowout win, which saw the FiberXers wrest the lead for good just after Terrafirma scored the first two points of the conference.
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First looks at Heading, HK Eastern in PBA 49th Season Comm's Cup opener
THE PBA Commissioner’s Cup opens on Wednesday with two interesting match-ups, including a highly-touted player making his league debut and a guest team commencing its campaign.
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