Barangay Ginebra and TNT Tropang 5G return to the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Wednesday with more than a 2-1 Finals lead at stake for the Gin Kings.
For them, Game 4 is a chance to move within one win of the championship. For the Tropang 5G, it is a chance to drag the series back into a deadlock and revive a familiar storyline between two teams that have repeatedly pushed each other to the edge.
Game time is at 7:35 p.m., after the awarding of the Best Player of the Conference and Best Import honors, where RJ Abarrientos and Justin Brownlee are expected to be recognized.
Ginebra regained control of the series with an 116-102 rout in Game 3 last Sunday at the SM Mall of Asia Arena that started with the impeccable shooting spree courtesy of guard Stephen Holt, but coach Tim Cone knows better than to treat a 2-1 lead as comfort.
The lesson is still fresh.
In last year’s Commissioner’s Cup Finals, Ginebra once stood ahead of TNT, 3-2, only to watch the Tropang 5G force a Game 7 and eventually break the Gin Kings’ hearts in a classic title decider.
That collapse remains part of the memory bank for Ginebra, a reminder that against TNT, even a lead can feel temporary.
The Gin Kings have also seen recent advantages disappear in the semifinals, making Cone’s message simple: nothing has been achieved until the next win is secured.
“We’re only focused on the next game,” Cone said.
Ginebra looked every bit in control in Game 3, exploding to a 35-16 lead in the opening quarter and never allowing TNT to fully recover. The Gin Kings leaned heavily on their core group of Brownlee, Scottie Thompson, Abarrientos, Holt, Japeth Aguilar, and Troy Rosario to finish the job before 18,607 fans.
But TNT has already shown it can punch back.
After losing Game 1, 102-100, the Tropang 5G responded with a 101-94 victory in Game 2. Now down again, TNT enters Game 4 needing the same kind of answer to prevent Ginebra from moving to the hill.
Much of that response may depend on Calvin Oftana and Rey Nambatac.
Oftana, who erupted for 31 points in Game 2, was held to just two points on 1-of-8 shooting in Game 3. Nambatac also went scoreless after missing all four of his attempts.
Both were targeted by Ginebra’s defense, and both are expected to be central to TNT’s effort to level the series.
“Wala ako iniinda, hindi ko ma-rason ’yun. Ang sama talaga ng laro ko and wala akong naitulong sa team,” Oftana admitted.
“Hindi araw-araw Pasko. Buti na lang, may second chance, may ilang games pa and makakabawi pa naman,” he added.
With Oftana and Nambatac struggling, Chris McCullough carried TNT with 44 points and 13 rebounds, while Roger Pogoy added 28. Their production, however, was not enough to offset Ginebra’s early burst and cleaner execution.
TNT coach Chot Reyes pointed to Ginebra’s 20 points off turnovers and hot shooting as major factors in the loss. He also made a pointed remark about the “excellent, excellent officiating” after drawing a technical foul for disputing calls.
The tension now shifts back to the Big Dome, where Ginebra will try to take control into a commanding 3-1 lead, and TNT will try to remind the Gin Kings of a painful truth from their recent Finals history.
Against this rival, halfway to the title is still a dangerous place to stand.