Battle for the lead in the 2023 PBA Governors' Cup Finals: TNT vs. Barangay Ginebra

The 2023 PBA Governors’ Cup finals continue on Friday night at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum as Barangay Ginebra and TNT look to take a 2-1 series lead. In Game Three at the Big Dome, the Gin Kings will face the Tropang GIGA at 5:45 p.m.

After TNT won Game Two on Wednesday, both teams are back to square one with the series tied. TNT coach Jojo Lastimosa expressed his hope that his players will maintain the level of play they showed in the previous game, where they shot 15 three-pointers and held Ginebra’s import Justin Brownlee to only 12 points with a career-worst 18 percent shooting from the field. Lastimosa also praised his team for their commitment to their strategy.

TNT’s import, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, stepped up in Game Two with 23 points, 19 rebounds, and nine assists. He was also responsible for guarding Brownlee for the majority of the contest. Hollis-Jefferson is determined to do everything he can to help TNT win its first championship in his professional career. He will guard Brownlee for the entire game if Lastimosa needs him to while other players step up to score and facilitate. Hollis-Jefferson, who has been a defender his whole life, believes that there’s nothing for him to turn off in scoring or turn it up more. He thinks it’s just about adjusting to what his team needs.

Despite the Game Two loss, Ginebra head coach Tim Cone remains optimistic that his team will bounce back. He believes they need to play more discipline and show more fire than they did in the previous game. Cone admitted that he saw a different level of intensity from his players during that match. He acknowledged that losing by one point, 15 points, or 30 points is still just losing, but emphasized that it’s a series, not just one game.

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