Tropa on cusp of title repeat

MANILA, Philippines —  Back to its old shot-stopping ways, back in control and just one win away from a repeat championship.

Tightening the defensive screws after Barangay Ginebra’s scoring spree last time, holder TNT roared ahead in the PBA Governors’ Cup finals at 3-2 with a masterful 99-72 romp last night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Tropang Giga asserted themselves immediately after winning the opening tip, making the Gin Kings bleed for 20 markers in the first quarter and a lowly 13 in the second en route to an early 23-point tear that set the tone.

In front of a 12,727-strong crowd led by top honcho Manny V. Pangilinan himself, the defending champions got back on track after seeing their initial 2-0 margin extinguished by stinging losses in Games 3 and 4, 73-85, and 92-106.

More importantly, Tropang Giga moved on the doorstep of back-to-back crown with a chance to seal it with win No. 4 in tomorrow’s Game 6 also at the Big Dome.

“After Ginebra tied the series in Game 4, the most important thing for us was not to panic and to keep our heads around us so we could make good decisions,” said TNT coach Chot Reyes.

“Number 2 was just to focus on our strength, which has been our strength the whole tournament – our defense. Let’s go back to what got us here and that is to play great defense. Fortunately, the players responded,” he added.

TNT limited Ginebra to a 32-percent clip (24-of-75) as it handed the Gin Kings their worst finals defeat since their 94-132 beatdown at the hands of Petron in Game 3 of the 2004-05 Philippine Cup Last Dance.

The Tropang Giga’s nearly impenetrable wall was felt most by Justin Brownlee, who for the first time in his PBA career failed to score in double figures. Brownlee finished with eight on a 3-of-13 field goal - his lowest output since netting 10 in Game 4 of the 2016 Governors’ Cup title duel against Meralco that they won, 88-86.