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    Last-gasp Scottie Thompson trey leads Ginebra past Meralco in Game 5 thriller

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    Nov 27, 2020
    PHOTO: PBA Images

    SCOTTIE Thompson hit a three-pointer with 0.6 seconds left to send Barangay Ginebra to the PBA Philippine Cup Finals after a hard-earned 83-80 win over Meralco on Friday night at the Angeles University Foundation Sports Arena and Cultural Center.

    Thompson capped his game-long brilliance with undoubtedly the biggest basket of his five-year career, hitting a three-pointer from the deep left corner that sent the whole Ginebra bench in a frenzy.

    The former Perpetual Help Altas star finished with 20 points, 12 rebounds and seven assists as Ginebra made the finals for the second successive conference, where it will meet TNT Tropang Giga in a best-of-seven series starting on Sunday.

    Thompson was all over the floor in the final minutes of a battle of attrition between the longtime rivals, standing at the forefront as Ginebra overcame a 73-69 deficit.

    The Ginebra guard's game-winner put to naught the heroics of Meralco veteran Reynel Hugnatan, who tied the game with a big three-pointer of his own, 80-80, with 14.5 seconds remaining.

    “It was amazing for Scottie,” said a relieved Barangay Ginebra coach Tim Cone. “Scottie deserves that shot. He deserves all the recognition and all the laurels. There’s no one that works harder than Scottie.”

    Thanks to Thompson’s game-winner, Ginebra advanced to the Philippine Cup Finals for the first time since placing second to San Miguel in the 2017 season.

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    Stanley Pringle topscored for Ginebra with 22 points while grabbing eight rebounds. He led the Kings’ 14-7 wind-up that once again broke the hearts of a Meralco team that had lost in three previous Governors Cup Finals showdowns to the Kings.

    Thompson towered over Meralco’s bigs to score on a tip-in that pushed Ginebra’s lead to 76-73. He also drew Allein Maliksi’s sixth foul that led to two free throws, 78-75, with only 1:09 left in the fourth.

    LA Tenorio also drilled two free throws with 17 seconds lead for an 80-77 advantage, but Ginebra left Hugnatan wide open from the top of the key for the three-pointer that once again tied the game.

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    Cone admitted it wasn’t the team’s best performance in the series as Meralco even led by as many as nine points at one point.

    “From a coaching standpoint, it’s better to be lucky than good. I just felt really lucky tonight,” said Cone.

    Chris Newsome led five Meralco players in double figures with 15 while Bong Quinto made 14 points. His lay-up that brought Meralco’s lead to 44-35 lead in the third quarter.

    Quinto clustered six straight points midway through the fourth quarter as the Bolts led, 71-65.

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      The scores:

      Barangay Ginebra 83 – Pringle 22, Thompson 20, Tenorio 14, J. Aguilar 12, Caperal 5, Mariano 5, Dillinger 3, Devance 2, Tolentino 0, Chan 0.

      Meralco 80 – Newsome 15, Hodge 14, Quinto 14, Hugnatan 12, Maliksi 12, Jackson 4, Almazan 4, Amer 3, Black 2, Pinto 0, Jamito 0.

      Quarters: 17-14; 33-31; 55-59; 83-80.

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      PHOTO: PBA Images
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