BY REYNALD MAGALLON
Justin Brownlee and RJ Abarrientos finished what Stephen Holt had started as Ginebra regained the series lead with a 116-102 victory over TNT in Game 3 at the Mall of Asia Arena on Sunday, June 7.
Struggling all series long, Holt set the tone with his scintillating shooting from the field before Brownlee and Abarrientos took turns in keeping the Tropang 5G at bay and retake a 2-1 series lead in the best-of-seven affairs.
Brownlee, who engaged TNT import Chris McCullough to a shootout in the second half, put together an all-game long brilliance of 41 points, seven rebounds and seven assists with not a single turnover.
Holt fired 15 of his 23 points in the opening quarter, spiked by five triples as the Kings led by as many as 22 points.
TNT, however, refused to go into the night silently, cutting the lead down to single digits in the final frame, 89-96, behind the efforts of McCullough and RR Pogoy.
But Abarrientos came alive, scoring and assisting in his team’s next 15 points to restore order, 108-93.
The presumptive Best Player of the Conference who triggered the pivotal 12-4 rally with the booming four, finished with 15 points and six assists. Scottie Thompson also finished with a quiet triple-double of 17 points, 11 rebounds and 11 assists.
