Despite missing an import, TNT Tropang 5G leaned on their local core to grind out a tense 77-75 victory over the Meralco Bolts, while Barangay Ginebra once again weathered a furious Rain or Shine Elasto Painters rally to escape with a 103-98 win as both squads seized a 2-1 series lead in the PBA Season 50 Commissioner's Cup semifinals on Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Here's a closer look at how TNT survived through defense and timely shot-making despite being playing without an import, and how Scottie Thompson's play proved enough to outlast another relentless Rain or Shine comeback attempt.
TNT's zone defense and Rey Nambatac's drives
With emergency replacement import Malick Diouf unable to secure clearance and veteran playmaker Jayson Castro unavailable, TNT entered Game 3 severely undermanned and needing others to fill the void offensively and defensively.
That responsibility fell heavily on Rey Nambatac, who delivered arguably his best outing of the conference with 18 points, eight rebounds, and three assists. More importantly, he consistently put pressure on Meralco's defense by attacking the paint and getting to the free throw line, finishing 8-of-11 from the stripe.
Those aggressive downhill drives became the backbone of TNT's offense, especially during a strong second quarter surge that gave the Tropang 5G a 43-34 halftime lead.
While TNT still struggled to consistently knock down perimeter shots, they compensated on the other end with a disruptive defensive approach.
Once Meralco started forcing TNT into more isolation possessions, the Tropang 5G countered by throwing multiple zone looks alternating between 2-3 and 2-2-1 formations to completely throw the Bolts out of rhythm.
The zone did not look flawless all night, but it accomplished its main purpose: keeping Meralco out of the middle and slowing down their decision-making in the halfcourt.
The Bolts became hesitant attacking gaps and repeatedly settled into stagnant possessions, which allowed TNT's point-of-attack defenders to recover and rotate effectively. Meralco managed just 16 points in the fourth quarter while committing a total of 15 turnovers throughout the game.
That defensive disruption was reflected in the struggles of Meralco's key local scorers. Chris Newsome was limited to just 3-of-9 shooting, while CJ Cansino endured a rough 2-of-11 performance as neither could consistently generate clean looks against TNT's shifting defensive coverages.
And despite struggling offensively for most of the evening, RR Pogoy still delivered the game's biggest shot. With TNT needing a late answer, Pogoy buried a crucial go-ahead triple that ultimately became the difference in the closing minutes.
The younger Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser also provided critical hustle plays inside, helping neutralize the physical advantage of Meralco import Marvin Jones. Ganuelas-Rosser finished with eight points, eight rebounds, and three blocks, making several key defensive stops during TNT's late-game stand.
Moving forward, TNT is expected to get a major boost with former PBA champion Chris McCullough set to serve as the team's reinforcement, as the Tropang 5G continue their title defense in the Commissioner's Cup.
For Meralco, though, the same offensive issues that plagued them earlier in the conference resurfaced once TNT settled into its zone. The Bolts' halfcourt offense became far too stagnant, with little flow or weak-side movement, eventually relying heavily on Newsome to create individually against a disciplined and physical TNT defense.
Scottie Thompson's offensive masterclass
Rain or Shine came out firing behind an inspired Andrei Caracut, whose five first-quarter triples gave the Elasto Painters early momentum in Game 3.
Despite Justin Brownlee struggling to find his rhythm offensively in the opening half, Ginebra still managed to stay within striking distance because of his playmaking and ability to generate quality looks for teammates.
But with Jaylen Johnson dominating inside and Adrian Nocum knocking down timely jumpers, Rain or Shine carried the edge entering the second half.
That was when Thompson completely shifted the tone of the game.
The 2022 PBA MVP delivered a vintage all-around performance, taking over offensively while also providing his usual energy and defensive activity on the other end. Thompson finished with 25 points and seven rebounds while posting a stellar 87.3 true shooting percentage, but the numbers only told part of the story.
Every time Rain or Shine threatened to regain control, Thompson answered with a momentum-changing play. Whether it was attacking downhill in transition, crashing the glass, or spacing the floor with his much-improved perimeter shooting, he consistently kept Ginebra afloat.
His 5-of-8 clip from beyond the arc proved especially massive, as several of those triples came during crucial stretches when the Elasto Painters were beginning to build momentum.
More importantly, Thompson's offensive evolution continues to change the dynamic of this Ginebra team. Opponents can no longer simply sag off him to load up on Brownlee because Thompson is now punishing defenses both as a cutter and as a reliable floor spacer.
Still, Rain or Shine refused to fold and once again made things interesting in the fourth quarter, winning the final period 30-26 behind the hot shooting of returning Caelan Tiongson.
Tiongson erupted for four triples in the last quarter alone and finished with 23 points on an absurd 88.5 TS%. Through two playoff games so far he has suited up, the sophomore forward has been scorching from deep, shooting 63.6% (14-of-22) from three-point range.
However, two key contributors from the first two games struggled to make an impact this time around. Gian Mamuyac was held to just seven points, while Jhonard Clarito added only five, a major drop-off for a Rain or Shine squad that relies heavily on balanced production and relentless activity from its rotation players.