‎Composed Abarrientos lifts Ginebra to a 1–0 Finals lead vs. TNT

RJ Abarrientos continued to showcase why confidence can change a player's game, delivering in the biggest moments as Barangay Ginebra narrowly escaped with a  102–100 victory over TNT Tropang 5G in Game 1 of the PBA Commissioner's Cup Finals on Wednesday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.

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‎The young guard came through with two huge four-point plays late in the game as Ginebra erased a tight deficit to swing the momentum back to its side. He’s not afraid to shoot, a sign of the trust he’s earned from teammates and coaches.

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‎Abarrientos finished with 24 points and seven assists and was the spark plug for the Gin Kings all throughout the night. His performance was another sign of his growing confidence, which has been on full display during Ginebra's playoff run.

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‎However, Ginebra still needed a late hero as TNT threatened to steal the game in the closing minutes. The honor went to Justin Brownlee, who sank the game-winning basket in the dying seconds to secure the comeback and deny TNT’s upset bid.

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‎Ginebra fought hard behind its veteran core and challenged TNT down the stretch. But the Tropang 5G had no answer for Abarrientos’s timely shot-making when it mattered most.

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‎The triumph provides Ginebra coach Tim Cone with an early edge but also a reminder that the series is not over yet. The Gin Kings are now up 1-0 in the best-of-seven championship showdown.

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‎With confidence and momentum, Ginebra enters Game 2 looking to strengthen its hold on the series, while TNT seeks to regroup and level the Finals before the series moves even further ahead.