Barangay Ginebra rediscovered its shooting stroke in electrifying fashion, burying NorthPort 131-106 behind a stunning 17 three-pointers in the 2025 PBA Philippine Cup at the PhilSports Arena.

After a frustrating cold spell against San Miguel, the Gin Kings came out gunning—sinking eight treys in the opening quarter alone and never looked back as they dealt the Batang Pier a third straight loss.

RJ Abarrientos was on fire, dropping 27 points including six triples, while Jayson David, returning to active duty, torched the net with 25 markers on a perfect 4-of-4 clip from downtown. Their combined 52-point explosion off the bench powered Ginebra to a resounding bounce-back win, improving to 2-1 in the season-ending tournament.

“We just stayed aggressive and trusted our shots,” said Abarrientos postgame. “Coach told us to play our pace and trust the system—tonight, it clicked.”

The shooting clinic started early. Ginebra went 8-of-11 from deep in the first quarter, building a 40-24 lead. The hot start set the tone for the night, a dramatic contrast to their 1-of-8 first-half shooting from three in the previous game versus San Miguel.

Ginebra’s ball movement and spacing were on point, consistently creating open looks for their shooters. Stephen Holt added 17 points, Japeth Aguilar and Troy Rosario had 15 each, while Jamie Malonzo chipped in 14—all contributing to the offensive onslaught.

NorthPort, playing without top scorer Arvin Tolentino, struggled to keep pace. Wil Navarro led the Batang Pier with 19 points, and Sidney Onwubere added 17. Despite flashes of resistance, they simply had no answer for Ginebra’s perimeter firepower and fell to 1-3 in the standings.

Even with injuries to key players like Scottie Thompson under limited minutes, Ginebra’s depth showed in full force—evident in their 70-43 halftime cushion and a lead that ballooned to 34 points at one point.

With 17 made threes on 53% shooting (17-of-32), the Kings sent a clear message: when they’re hot, they’re nearly impossible to contain.

The defending champions now look to build momentum as they prepare for tougher tests ahead.