Barangay Ginebra finally ended its long wait for another championship after defeating TNT, 88-76, in Game 7 of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals on Wednesday night at the Mall of Asia Arena. The victory snapped a seven-conference title drought and handed the Gin Kings their first championship since winning the Commissioner’s Cup in January 2023.

Backed by a crowd of 24,617 passionate supporters, Ginebra overcame a halftime deficit before pulling away in the second half to deny TNT another Finals triumph. The victory also ended the Tropang 5G’s recent dominance over the Gin Kings in championship series.

Brownlee Delivers Again

Justin Brownlee once again proved why he remains one of the PBA’s greatest imports. The veteran forward finished with 30 points and 14 rebounds, including 16 points after halftime to lead Ginebra’s decisive turnaround.

Brownlee helped spark a dominant 48-29 second-half surge after the Gin Kings trailed 47-40 at the break. His performance came after explosive outings of 54 and 52 points earlier in the championship series.

“These beautiful fans, they gave us the energy to go out there and win,” Brownlee said. “We were down and TNT gave us a battle. But as coach Tim kept telling us, ‘this is our time.’”

Brownlee also reflected on his longevity after capturing his seventh PBA championship.

“Ten years ago I would never have thought I’d be still playing at 38 years old and winning championships,” Brownlee said. “But these fans, they give me the energy to go out there play for them, play for my family and give my best.”

Skid Finally Ends

The championship carried extra significance for Ginebra after suffering three straight Finals defeats to TNT. The Tropang 5G previously denied the Gin Kings in last season’s Commissioner’s Cup Finals as well as the Season 47 and Season 49 Governors’ Cup Finals.

Scottie Thompson delivered another all-around performance with 19 points, 11 rebounds and eight assists. His consistency throughout the championship series earned him Finals Most Valuable Player honors from the PBA Press Corps.

RJ Abarrientos added 13 points to help secure the first PBA championship of his young professional career. Coach Tim Cone’s squad dominated the final two quarters after struggling offensively during the opening half.

TNT received 28 points from import Chris McCullough, while Jordan Heading scored 21 and RR Pogoy contributed 15. Despite carrying a seven-point halftime advantage, the Tropang 5G were unable to withstand Ginebra’s relentless second-half rally.

The championship marked a fitting ending for the Gin Kings, who finally erased years of frustration against their longtime rivals and returned to the top of the PBA once again.