PBA Finals: TNT takes 3-2 lead over Ginebra as Justin Brownlee suffers food poisoning

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson leads TNT to 3-2 lead in the PBA Governors’ Cup Finals. –MARLO CUETO/INQUIRER.net

MANILA, Philippines–TNT took advantage of the loss of an ailing Justin Brownlee and snatched a 3-2 lead in the PBA Governors’ Cup Finals from Barangay Ginebra with a 104-95 victory in Wednesday’s Game 5 at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson led the spirited rally from 14 points down early in the third quarter as the Tropang Giga moved one win shy of capturing the title of the season-ending conference.

Calvin Oftana, Mikey Williams, Poy Erram and Glenn Khobuntin were also huge as TNT claimed back-to-back games after both teams exchanged victories in the first four games.

The Tropang Giga go for the kill on Friday at the same venue.

Hollis-Jefferson finished with 32 points, 16 rebounds and 10 assists in TNT’s triumph fashioned out before a crowd of 10,070.

Ginebra import Justin Brownlee on the bench in Game 5 of the PBA Governors’ Cup Finals. –PBA IMAGES

Ginebra was put on the brink of defeat for the first time in a Finals series with Brownlee, who no longer finished the game after dealing with food poisoning.

It was a stunning scene as the Gin Kings had to push through without the man who led them to six championships in import-laden tournaments.

Even with Brownlee sidelined, Ginebra was able to cut the deficit from nine to one led by Nards Pinto, who had his first start in the playoffs.

But Ginebra never scored after Scottie Thompson’s basket that cut the gap to 96-95 with less than four minutes left as turnovers coupled with key plays from Hollis-Jefferson and Erram enabled TNT’s to seal the win.

WATCH: Coach Jojo Lastimosa after TNT’s win over Ginebra.

Best Player of the Game Rondae Hollis-Jefferson begged off from the post-game media scrum due to headache. | @MeloFuertesINQ pic.twitter.com/v0H4SQ44xM

— INQUIRER Sports (@INQUIRERSports) April 19, 2023

The scores:

TNT 104—Hollis-Jefferson 32, Oftana 20, Williams M. 15, Khobuntin 10, Castro 10, Erram 10, Williams K. 5, Montalbo 2, Marcelo 0.

GINEBRA 95—Standhardinger 29, Pinto 18, Brownlee 14, Thompson 12, Gray 10, Malonzo 6, Pringle 6, J.Aguilar 0, Mariano 0.

Quarters: 28-26, 49-61, 81-79, 104-95.