JORDAN Heading sparked TNT to a 106-98 win over Barangay Ginebra that tied the PBA 50th Season Commissioner’s Cup Finals at 2-2 on Wednesday night at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
Heading finished with a team-high 29 points and spearheaded a decisive 15-4 breakaway in the final quarter that enabled TNT to post its biggest lead at 92-74 to the dismay of most of the 16,823 fans at the Big Dome.
That run was enough enable TNT to even the best-of-seven championship series at 2-2, instead of being down 1-3, heading to Game Five on Independence Day at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
Chris McCullough and Jayson Castro also gave TNT a big lift, spoiling RJ Abarrientos and Justin Brownlee's night after the Ginebra pair won the Best Player and Best Import of the Conference, respectively.
McCullough had 24 points, 14 rebounds, and two blocks, while Castro had 14 points, including nine in the first half, on 5-of-8 shooting from the field including two threes in his first starting role of the finals.
But Heading set the tone where his three-point shots fell on his way to a 5-of-7 clip from that territory, his best game sine he scored 30 points on 7-of-10 shooting from threes in Game 6 of the semifinals against Meralco.
“I think the key was our defense,” said TNT coach Chot Reyes. “Jordan had a good shooting night and he really kept us in the ballgame in first half when McCullough was struggling. But I think the combination of Jordan’s shooting and the scoring of the other players outside McCullough with our defense kept us in the ballgame. Gave us a chance to pull it off in the end.”
TNT was only leading 75-68 at the end of the third when Heading and McCullough joined forces while also limiting Barangay Ginebra to only two field goals during the first five minutes of the fourth quarter.
Brownlee had 32 points, five rebounds, and five assists, while Abarrientos had 21 points but was limited to only four points in the second half.
Scottie Thompson was also in foul trouble and was limited to only four points, five rebounds, and three assists.
The scores:
TNT 106 – Heading 29, McCullough 24, Castro 14, Oftana 12, Ganuelas-Rosser 10, Nambatac 7, Galinato 5, Pogoy 5, Khobuntin 0.
Barangay Ginebra 98 – Brownlee 32, Abarrientos 21, J. Aguilar 12, Rosario 11, Holt 5, Thompson 4, Abis 4, Pinto 4, Gray 3, Cu 2, Go 0.
Quarters: 16-21; 50-53; 75-68; 106-98.
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