PBA: RHJ fires 34 as TNT draws first blood vs Ginebra in Finals

John Franklin Kennedy Caacbay

ABS-CBN News

<div><span class="fr-img-caption fr-fic fr-dib" style="width:960px"><span class="fr-img-wrap"><img src="https://od2-image-api.abs-cbn.com/prod/editorImage/1741959461929PBA Images3.jpg" style="width:960px" class="fr-fic fr-dib fr-fil"/><span class="fr-inner" style="text-align:left">Rondae Hollis-Jefferson leads TNT to a Game 1 win over Ginebra at the MOA Arena. <em>PBA Images</em></span></span></span></div><p>MANILA, Philippines <strong>(UPDATED)</strong> – TNT drew first blood against Ginebra, 95-89, in the PBA Season 49 Commissioner&#x27;s Cup Finals on Friday at the Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.</p><p>Tropang Giga reinforcement Rondae Hollis-Jefferson showed the way for his team, stuffing the stat sheet with 34 points, 13 rebounds, eight assists, one steal and a block to earn Player of the Game honors.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/basketball/2025/3/9/pba-calvin-oftana-regains-form-to-help-tnt-reach-finals-1557"><strong>READ: PBA: Calvin Oftana regains form to help TNT reach Finals</strong></a></div><p>The Chot Reyes-coached squad led by as much as 16 points entering the halftime break, 55-39, and managed to keep the separation in their favor up until the final buzzer.</p><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/basketball/2025/3/7/pba-rhj-takes-over-as-tnt-ousts-rain-or-shine-to-capture-first-finals-ticket-1924"><strong>READ: PBA: RHJ takes over as TNT ousts Rain or Shine to capture first Finals ticket</strong></a></div><div><a href="https://www.abs-cbn.com/sports/basketball/2025/3/7/pba-ginebra-sets-up-finals-showdown-with-tnt-eliminates-northport-2201"><strong>READ: PBA: Ginebra sets up Finals showdown with TNT, eliminates NorthPort</strong></a></div><p>&quot;Well, we talked about it at halftime, we said &#x27;for sure, Ginebra is going to make a run. We just reminded the players to stay calm,  to expect it,&#x27;&quot; said Reyes.</p><p>They might have seen themselves leading only by four, 93-89, after an RJ Abarrientos four-point shot — the first conversion from the extended arc the entire game — with around five seconds left in regulation, but Hollis-Jefferson was there to put out the Ginebra fire.</p><p>&quot;They [Gin Kings] made a big run, but we came back because the players kept their composure and I think that&#x27;s the most important thing,&quot; Reyes also said.</p><div><br/></div><div class="twitter-tweet twitter-tweet-rendered" style="display:flex;max-width:550px;width:100%;margin-top:10px;margin-bottom:10px"><iframe id="twitter-widget-2" scrolling="no" frameBorder="0" allowtransparency="true" allowfullscreen="" title="X Post" src="https://platform.twitter.com/embed/Tweet.html?dnt=false&amp;embedId=twitter-widget-2&amp;features=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%3D%3D&amp;frame=false&amp;hideCard=false&amp;hideThread=false&amp;id=1900553606715355167&amp;lang=en&amp;origin=https%3A%2F%2Fod2-workbench-web.abs-cbn.com%2F%23%2Fworkspace%2Fmonitoring%3Fitem%3Durn%3Anewsml%3Aod2-workbench-api.abs-cbn.com%3A2025-03-14T11%3A00%3A42.619147%3A2ed22a51-0701-4be0-883d-0af969536996%26action%3Dcorrect&amp;sessionId=3740b338e5147e2e0374514bd2daa0d994f2b385&amp;theme=light&amp;widgetsVersion=2615f7e52b7e0%3A1702314776716&amp;width=550px" style="position:static;visibility:visible;width:550px;height:576px;display:block;flex-grow:1" data-tweet-id="1900553606715355167"></iframe></div><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charSet="utf-8"></script><div><br/></div><p>The TNT import dealt the killing blow, completing a trip to the charity line to make it a two-possession game to seal the deal for the Game 1 win.</p><p>RR Pogoy joined the supporting cast as he listed 15 points, while Calvin Oftana tallied 10 markers and nine rebounds and Rey Nambatac also had 10 to go with three assists.</p><p>Gin Kings&#x27; Justin Brownlee paced the losing side with a double-double of 28 points, 15 rebounds, and six assists, while Scottie Thompson was also up there with 17 markers, 13 boards, and seven dimes.</p><p>TNT goes for a 2-0 lead on Game 2, Sunday at the same Pasay venue. Tip-off is at 7:30 p.m.</p><div> </div><div><strong>The Scores:</strong></div><p><strong>TNT 95 –</strong> Hollis-Jefferson 34, Pogoy 15, Oftana 10, Nambatac 10, Williams 8, Khobuntin 8, Erram 5, Aurin 5, Heruela 0, Razon 0</p><p><strong>GINEBRA 89</strong> – Brownlee 28, Thompson 17, Abarrientos 13, Holt 9, J.Aguilar 9, Rosario 8, Gray 3, Malonzo 2, Ahanmisi 0QUARTERS: 29-18, 55-39, 80-66, 95-89</p><div><br/></div><div><span class="fr-video fr-deletable fr-fvc fr-dvb fr-draggable" contenteditable="false" draggable="true"><iframe width="640" height="360" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/l39b7tkBayY?autoplay=1&amp;wmode=opaque&amp;rel=0" frameBorder="0" allowfullscreen="" class="fr-draggable"></iframe></span><br/></div>

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PBA: RHJ fires 34 as TNT draws first blood vs Ginebra in Finals

PBA: RHJ fires 34 as TNT draws first blood vs Ginebra in Finals

Kennedy Caacbay,

ABS-CBN News

Published Mar 14, 2025 09:58 PM PHT

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Updated Mar 15, 2025 12:34 AM PHT

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