Barangay Ginebra guard Scottie Thompson against San Miguel Beer in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup. PBA IMAGES
MANILA, Philippines—Barangay Ginebra clawed back from 19 points down on Sunday night to escape San Miguel Beer by the skin of its teeth, 97-96, annexing a third straight victory in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup.
Reigning Most Valuable Player Scottie Thompson delivered the go-ahead triple from the left corner with four ticks left to cap a 14-point performance and help the crowd darlings take down the vaunted Beermen.
ScoTHREE BAAANG! Lamang na ang Barangay! 97-96, 4.8 4q #PBAGameTayoDito pic.twitter.com/3XaJOAgDew
— PBA (@pbaconnect) November 6, 2022
“I keep on telling the guys: It’s there for us, we just have to play a little smarter,” head coach Tim Cone said of the gallant fightback at Smart Araneta Coliseum which had the Gin Kings rising to 5-2 in the midseason tournament.
“It was just the team’s effort. The crowd came out with energy like they always do.
Coach just kept telling us to be right there. It was hard to see at first,” added resident import Justin Brownlee, who finished with 33 points.
Devon Scott had 26 points, while CJ Perez led the locals with 19 points as San Miguel slid to 3-4 while trying to survive minus cornerstone June Mar Fajardo, who continues to recuperate from a throat procedure.
Both clubs will be going on a break as several of their players will be backstopping the national cage program, which figures in two road games in the fifth window of the Fiba World Cup Asian Qualifiers.