Barangay Ginebra continued its dominant playoff run, overwhelming top-seeded NorthPort 127-100 in Game 3 of the PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup semifinals on Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. The Kings’ relentless performance pushed them one win away from the finals, with a chance to complete the sweep in Game 4 on Wednesday.

NorthPort, which only lost three times in the eliminations and quarterfinals, has yet to find an answer against the defending champions. Ginebra has led by at least 30 points in every game of the series, turning what was expected to be a competitive matchup into a lopsided affair.

Brownlee and Malonzo Lead the Charge

After taking a backseat in scoring in Game 2, Justin Brownlee made an emphatic return, dropping 22 points, including a perfect 4-of-4 from beyond the arc, setting the tone early.

Jamie Malonzo stole the spotlight with 25 points, including five three-pointers, while Japeth Aguilar (17), Scottie Thompson (15), Troy Rosario (10), and RJ Abarrientos (10) all chipped in to dismantle NorthPort’s defense.

“We knew they were going to fight back, so we had to bring our best effort,” said Ginebra head coach Tim Cone. “We’ve been locked in defensively, and our offensive flow has been excellent.”

NorthPort struggled once again, despite Kadeem Jack’s 32-point effort. Arvin Tolentino was limited to 15 points, leaving the Batang Pier without a consistent secondary option.

Ginebra’s Defensive Domination

Ginebra’s defensive intensity was on full display, holding NorthPort to just 40 first-half points while racing to a 64-40 halftime lead. The Kings’ frontcourt stifled Tolentino, and with no other NorthPort player stepping up, the game quickly turned into another rout.

By the third quarter, Ginebra’s lead ballooned to 99-68, allowing Cone to rest his starters early as the Kings cruised to another convincing victory.

One Win Away from the Finals

With the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters forcing a 1-1 series tie against TNT in the other semifinal, Ginebra is in a prime position to be the first team to book a ticket to the finals.

Game 4 is set for Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, where the Kings will look to complete the sweep and advance to another PBA Commissioner’s Cup finals appearance.

The scores: 

Ginebra 127  – Malonzo 25, Brownlee 22, J. Aguilar 17, Thompson 15, Rosario 10, Abarrientos 10, Ahanmisi 6, Holt 5, Pessumal 4, Gray 4, R. Aguilar 3, Adamos 2, Mariano 2, Tenorio 2, Cu 0, Pinto 0

NorthPort 100 – Jack 32, Tolentino 15, Taha 11, Yu 6, Miranda 6, Bulanadi 6, Munzon 5, Cuntapay 5, Flores 4, Nelle 3, Navarro 3, Tratter 2, Onwubere 2

Quarterscores: 30-21, 64-40, 99-68, 127-100