Ginebra turned back a streak-seeking TNT, 81-65, to wake up from a two-game funk in the PBA On Tour, Friday night at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig.
Von Pessumal struck the dagger through a fallaway three-pointer with 1:51 left to play as the Kings found a way to leave with the victory after squandering a 16-point lead and trailing by a solitary point, 62-61, early in the fourth quarter.
The crowd darlings improved to 5-5 after bursting the Tropang Giga’s bubble from their breakthrough win against Phoenix Super LPG last Wednesday.
“‘Yung last two losses namin, we were badly outrebounded. And, we gave up too many points. We held TNT to 67 points, which is I think our best defensive game so far,” said lead assistant coach Richard Del Rosario.
Sidney Onwubere led Ginebra with 21 points and 16 rebounds as he stepped up for a frontline that’s missing Aljon Mariano and Jared Dillinger.
Jeremiah Gray finished with his double-double with 18 points and eight rebounds, as Pessumal supplied 15 markers on three triples.
Pessumal and Gray combined for the first seven points of the pivotal 9-0 run for a 69-62 lead with 7:51 left that put the Kings ahead the rest of the way.
“Wala na rin kaming malaki. Pati si JD ‘di na rin nakalaro kasi meron siyang naramdaman sa hamstring. Bawas na bawas talaga, walang AJ, walang JD, so we had to be creative — si Miah had to play power forward,” Del Rosario said.
“‘Yun ‘yung satisfying: kahit wala kaming mga big guys, we were able to grind out the win,” furthered the veteran bench tactician.
Ginebra will try to close its preseason campaign with a win against NLEX on the tournament’s final day on June 30 also at Ynares Pasig.
Glenn Khobuntin, on the other hand, carried the load once again for TNT with a game-high 25 points in the loss, which sent their record to 1-8.
The Tropa will look to get their second win against the Road Warriors as well on Wednesday, July 25, 7:30 p.m. at the FilOil EcoOil Centre in San Juan.,
The Scores:
Ginebra 81 – Onwubere 21, Gray 18, Pessumal 15, David 8, Cu 8, Pinto 7, Salcedo 2, R. Aguilar 2, Aurin 0.
TNT 67 – Khobuntin 25, Exciminiano 6, Cruz 6, Heruela 5, Marcelo 5, Flores 5, De Leon 5, Montalbo 4, Cuntapay 3, Jopia 1, Alfaro 0.
Quarterscores: 22-12, 44-36, 56-55, 81-67.
