Rey Nambatac delivered a strong fourth-quarter push, but it wasn’t enough as TNT Tropang 5G dropped a narrow 102-100 decision to Barangay Ginebra in Game 1 of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals on Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
While Ginebra took the early advantage in the series, much of the late-game momentum belonged to TNT’s guard, who helped turn what had been an 18-point deficit into a tense finish.
Nambatac finished with 19 points, three rebounds, and three assists, with 13 of those points coming in the fourth quarter as he orchestrated TNT’s comeback attempt.
His scoring burst helped the Tropang 5G seize control briefly, taking a 95-90 lead with 3:06 remaining.
The rally put TNT in position to steal Game 1 on the road, with Nambatac at the center of the offensive surge.
Despite the loss, the former Finals MVP against Ginebra said the matchup carried added motivation for him.
“I won Finals MVP last year so that doesn’t mean they’ll leave me alone. They made some adjustments on me and it had some good outcomes,” he said.
“I was limited in the first half but it’s extra motivation for me that I won a Finals MVP against Ginebra (last year).”
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Tim Cone cited Rey Nambatac’s hot shooting as a key factor in Ginebra’s Game 1 loss, but said the Gin Kings still have time to adjust with the Finals series just getting started. | Via Zeus Valdez#FastBreak #PBA #Ginebra #TimCone #Tropang5G pic.twitter.com/WuECQyLlse
— Fastbreak (@fastbreaknewsph) June 4, 2026
He also emphasized TNT’s ability to compete despite the result.
“I don’t have any regrets because we gave them a good fight and we gave the fans a show. Actually, this is what I wanted, to have my rhythm, timing and confidence. After some three-point shots, I struggled again but personally, my rhythm and timing are there,” Nambatac said.
Ginebra, coached by Tim Cone, managed to weather TNT’s late surge in the final minutes. Cone’s squad leaned on Justin Brownlee for steady production and RJ Abarrientos for the decisive plays down the stretch.
Abarrientos connected on back-to-back four-point plays in the last 91 seconds, swinging the lead back to Ginebra and sealing the 102-100 victory.
The result gave Ginebra a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series, despite TNT’s strong finish by Nambatac.
Game 2 is set at 7:30PM on Friday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, where Nambatac and his squad will look to build on its late-game adjustments and avoid falling into an early series hole.
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