Ginebra avoided falling into a dangerous situation as it found much-needed solutions to decipher the TNT puzzle, 85-73, to take Game 3 of the PBA Season 49 Governors’ Cup Finals, Friday night at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
Coach Tim Cone widened his rotation by starting LA Tenorio and then utilizing Joe Devance later in the match, giving them enough spunk to be in control early before finding another gear in the third quarter to wrest the lead for good.
Justin Brownlee scored back-to-back inside before Scottie Thompson nailed a tough fallaway jumper for a quick 6-0 run toward a 62-57 lead and momentum would swing their way since, eventually enabling them to pull away.
It happened in the deciding period, when Brownlee finally nailed his first three-pointer of the series to help lay out the Barangay’s decisive 13-2 assault en route to an 81-69 advantage with only 65 seconds left in the game.
Ginebra would then rely on defense afterward to seal the win, giving the team a huge confidence-booster heading into Game 4 on Sunday at the Big Dome.
