SMART Clark Giga City - Scottie Thompson scored just three points for Barangay Ginebra in Game 2 of the PBA Philippine Cup Finals.
But boy, what a big three it was.
The fifth-year guard drained a huge shot from beyond the arc with 30 seconds left to cap a big Ginebra rally for a 92-90 win over TnT Tropang Giga and a commanding 2-0 lead in the best-of seven series Wednesday at the Angeles University Foundation gym.
Until he came through with the pressure-packed three-pointer, Thompson was scoreless for the game on 0-of-4 shooting from the field, including 0-of-2 from the three-point arc.
The basket not only gave the former University of Perpetual Help standout his only basket for the night, but likewise put the Kings in front for good, 87-85.
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It also capped a 10-1 run by the top seeded team, which trailed a TnT side that played without injured guard Ray Parks, 77-84, with 3:55 to go in the game.
"Scottie was struggling, LA was struggling, and for a while, Stanley was struggling, but of course he exploded. Japeth was struggling, so the whole first five really struggled coming out of the game," said Barangay Ginebra coach Tim Cone.
Their woeful shooting had the Kings falling by as much as 39-54 midway in the third quarter.
But Ginebra's bench came alive just before the period ended, with Aljon Mariano scoring 10 of his 20 points during that stretch and Jared Dilliger with five.
Pringle teamed up with the Ginebra duo as he exploded for 14 points in the third to close the gap at 68-70 entering the final 12 minutes.
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The Tropang Giga regained control of the game and appeared ready to go all the way after Roger Pogoy hit the last of his five three-pointers for the night to give the team a seven-point lead.
Then the roof began to cave in for TnT.
"We're able to make some stops and the game turned around," said Cone. "Scottie just hit that big three-pointer in the Meralco series, and now he comes up with another big three-pointer to give us the lead."
Pringle led Barangay Ginebra with 34 points, six rebounds, and eight assists, while Mariano added nine rebounds and at the same time, pick up the scoring slack from Thompson, Japeth Aguilar, and LA Tenorio.
Aguilar and Tenorio were a combined nine points for the Kings, with Tenorio scoring all of his five points inside the final 18 seconds.
The loss spoiled a 38-point explosion from Pogoy, who was 13-of-22 from the field and 5-of-9 from three-point range.
Jayson Castro added 13 while Troy Rosario and Poy Erram with 11 each. Erram completed a double-double with 11 rebounds. (RG)
The scores
Ginebra (92) -- Pringle 34, Mariano 20, Dillinger 8, Chan 6, Aguilar 6, Tenorio 5, Devance 4, Tolentino 4, Thompson 3, Caperal 2.
TnT Tropang Giga (90) -- Pogoy 38, Enciso 15, Castro 13, Erram 11, Rosario 11, De Leon 2, Reyes 0, Carey 0, Semerad 0, Montalbo 0, Washington 0.
Quarterscores: 21-17; 36-40; 68-70; 92-90.
