Tenorio inspires Ginebra as TNT misses Castro in the PBA Finals

Barangay Ginebra secured a 73-66 victory over TNT in Game 5 of the PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup Finals on Sunday night, March 23, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Scottie Thompson was named Best Player of the Game after delivering an all-around performance with 16 points, 10 rebounds, five assists, two steals, and one block. His relentless hustle on both ends of the floor—something that doesn’t always show up in the stat sheets—was key to Ginebra’s success.

Justin Brownlee was also impressive. Despite dealing with a dislocated thumb and scoring only two points in the first half, the Gin Kings' import still managed to finish with 18 markers, 14 boards, five dimes, and one deflection.

Japeth Aguilar and Maverick Ahanmisi chipped in 11 points apiece to support Thompson and Brownlee, while Stephen Holt played a tremendous defensive role against Tropang Giga import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson. Although Hollis-Jefferson managed to score 19 points, he struggled with efficiency, shooting just 7-of-26 from the field.

However, what truly set Ginebra apart last night was the presence of veteran LA Tenorio, who played only six minutes but made a significant impact.

Inserted late in the third quarter, Tenorio’s appearance electrified the more than 12,000 fans in attendance.

The pride of Nasugbu, Batangas, attempted just one shot, which he missed, but grabbed one rebound and dished out one assist—enough to inspire his team to rally back from a 10-point halftime deficit.

Alongside Tenorio, Ginebra closed the third quarter with a one-point lead heading into the pivotal final period.

“I felt we weren’t executing as well as we could. That’s one thing LA is really, really smart with—his execution. He knows how to get the team in their spots,” said Ginebra head coach Tim Cone regarding Tenorio’s rare playing minutes.

“I just turned to him and asked, ‘Are you ready to go?’ And he said, ‘Yeah.’ I also felt Scottie needed a break. LA is always ready. He works so hard in practice every day, even though he may not always play,” Cone added.

At the start of the fourth quarter, “The GINeral” remained on the floor to help steady the Gin Kings' offense before being subbed out for Thompson, who took over in the final minutes alongside Brownlee.

“Hard to say, but that’s the reality, ‘di ba? Ito na ang given role sa team namin. As I always tell the coaching staff, especially coach Tim, I’m always ready,” an emotional Tenorio said after the game.

On the other side, Rey Nambatac was the only local TNT player to score in double digits, finishing with 19 points, two rebounds, and two assists.

There was even a tense moment on the TNT bench during a timeout when Coach Chot Reyes was seen confronting big man Poy Erram.

Reyes later addressed the incident, saying, “I just got fed up with all the antics. I let him have a piece of my mind. I told him that if I can’t talk some sense into him, why doesn’t he be the one to coach?”

In situations like these, TNT clearly missed the calming presence of Jayson Castro—the veteran leader who could have helped manage both on-court and off-court struggles.

The pride of Bacolor, Pampanga, was the key figure behind TNT’s championship run in the PBA Season 49 Governors’ Cup, where he was named Finals MVP against the same Ginebra squad they are facing now.

Both teams have retained their core players, including their imports, yet TNT has struggled to fill the void left by Castro, who suffered a season-ending injury during their semi-finals clash against Rain or Shine.

While TNT still has veteran players on the bench, the two-time Best Point Guard in Asia remains irreplaceable. Though he is out of the series, instead of dwelling on his absence, the Tropang Giga should draw inspiration from him—just as Ginebra did with Tenorio.

With Game 6 set to take place at the same venue, Ginebra has a chance to close out the series and finally claim a championship in their finals trilogy against TNT.

Meanwhile, the Tropang Giga will fight to extend the series and bring out the two best words in sports—Game Seven!

GINEBRA 73 – Brownlee 18, Thompson 16, J. Aguilar 11, Ahanmisi 11, Rosario 6, Malonzo 6, Holt 3, Abarrientos 2, Tenorio 0.

TNT 66 – Hollis-Jefferson 19, Nambatac 19, Oftana 8, Pogoy 8, Aurin 8, Erram 4, Heruela 0, Williams 0, Exciminiano 0, Khobuntin 0.

Quarter Scores: 17-24, 35-45, 57-56, 73-66.