Barangay Ginebra saw its Top Four bid slip away but still closed strong, escaping Titan Ultra, 108-105, on Sunday, December 21, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum to end the PBA Philippine Cup eliminations on a high note. The Gin Kings survived early struggles and a furious late push to secure the No. 5 seed.

The win marked Ginebra’s fifth straight victory, lifting the team to a 7-4 record and a tie with Converge. By virtue of the winner-over-the-other rule, however, the FiberXers claimed the No. 4 spot and the twice-to-beat advantage.

Despite the circumstances, Ginebra avoided a potential slide to seventh place. The Kings instead locked in a quarterfinal showdown with Converge when the playoffs open on Christmas Day.

Kings grind through tough circumstances

Ginebra entered the game already aware its Top Four hopes were dashed following TNT’s earlier win over Magnolia. The situation was compounded by fatigue, with the team coming off travel from a tough outing against Rain or Shine in Bahrain.

Coach Tim Cone acknowledged the challenge, but his squad managed to regroup after a shaky first half. The Kings gradually found rhythm and built enough separation to withstand the closing storm.

Titan Ultra pushes to the final horn

With nothing to lose, Titan Ultra played freely and pushed Ginebra to the brink behind timely perimeter shooting late in the game. Calvin Abueva and Joshua Munzon had chances to force overtime or steal the win in the final seconds.

Misses down the stretch allowed Ginebra to escape and finalize the quarterfinal matchups. Stephen Holt led the Kings with 27 points, followed by RJ Abarrientos with 24, while Scottie Thomson, Raph Cu and Troy Rosario provided key support.

Titan Ultra drew 57 combined points from Munzon and Abueva and finished its maiden PBA Philippine Cup campaign with a competitive 4-7 record.