Barangay Ginebra San Miguel refused to blink in another crunch-time duel with Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, carving out a 103-98 victory Sunday night, May 24, to seize a 2-1 lead in their semifinal series of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the SM Mall of Asia Arena.

It marked the second straight tight finish claimed by the Gin Kings, who leaned on the all-around brilliance of Scottie Thompson and the steady nerves of Stephen Holt at the foul line in front of a crowd of 13,524.

“Very crucial for us. It’s a big win which could become the turning point in the series,” said Thompson, who poured in 25 points to go with seven rebounds, three steals and two assists.

“We know how tough Rain or Shine is. They have a lot of energy, they’re hungry. Hopefully, we find a way to sustain our effort,” added the former MVP.

Ginebra turns the tide

The Gin Kings appeared to be in trouble at halftime, trailing 48-56 and falling behind by as many as 13 points as Andrei Caracut caught fire for the E-Painters.

“We felt they shot really well with Andrei Caracut making amazing shots. We just told our guys to keep battling,” said Ginebra coach Tim Cone.

That message paid off in the third quarter.

Behind Thompson’s leadership, Ginebra unleashed a decisive 29-12 run to wrest control of the game, 77-68. The lead eventually ballooned to 16 before Rain or Shine mounted a final push in the closing minutes.

Justin Brownlee flirted with a triple-double, finishing with 24 points, nine assists and eight rebounds, while RJ Abarrientos added 17 points, five assists and three boards.

Holt provided the finishing touch, calmly sinking all four of his free throws in the final moments to extinguish the Rain or Shine rally. He ended the night with 11 points and seven rebounds.

Troy Rosario chipped in nine points, while Jeremiah Gray and Japeth Aguilar scored seven apiece as the Gin Kings moved within two wins of a return trip to the Finals.

For Rain or Shine, Jaylen Johnson and the returning Caelan Tiongson led the way with 23 points each. Johnson also posted a monster all-around line with 21 rebounds and eight assists, while Tiongson, back after battling a severe stomach upset, knocked down seven of 10 three-point attempts.

Adrian Nocum added 17 points and Caracut finished with 15 for the E-Painters, who now face a must-win situation.

The series shifts to the Big Dome on Wednesday for Game Four, with Ginebra aiming to push Rain or Shine to the brink and the E-Painters fighting to level the series.