Scottie Thompson saved the day as Barangay Ginebra completed a come-from-behind 97-96 win over San Miguel Beermen in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Araneta Coliseum on Sunday, November 6.
Thompson drained the game-winning triple from the left corner with 4.8 ticks left for the Gin Kings, who overhauled a 19-point deficit to pick up their third straight victory and improve to 5-2 for solo fourth place in the standings.
Stuffing the stats sheet with 14 points, 6 rebounds, 6 assists, and 5 steals, reigning PBA MVP Thompson then sealed the victory by completing a steal after Beermen import Devon Scott lost the ball in the dying seconds.
The likes of San Miguel veteran Chris Ross felt Scott got fouled during that ill-fated possession and complained about the non-call but to no avail.
Justin Brownlee showed the way for Ginebra with a near triple-double of 33 points, 11 rebounds, 9 assists, 2 steals, and 1 block as he and Thompson conspired in their comeback, combining for 15 points in the fourth period.
The Beermen grabbed an 80-63 lead behind a big third-quarter performance from CJ Perez and still held a 92-81 advantage midway through the final salvo before the Gin Kings erected a 13-2 spurt to force a 94-94 deadlock.
Scott put San Miguel on the front seat again with a short stab with 35 seconds remaining, but Thompson played hero as he drained his booming triple that gave Ginebra its first lead of the game.
The Gin Kings outscored the Beermen 34-16 in the fourth quarter.
