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TNT Tropang 5G’s Chris McCullough during a game vs Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals. –PBA IMAGES
MANILA, Philippines—TNT import Chris McCullough has seen plenty during his time in the PBA, dating back to his stint with San Miguel Beer.
So when Barangay Ginebra gave TNT a scare late in Game 2 of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals, he wasn’t surprised. In fact, he expected it.
“It’s basketball. Teams go on runs. It was going to happen. It is what it is. That’s Ginebra so of course, it was going to happen,” McCullough said after their 101-94 win at Smart Araneta Coliseum on Friday.
“It was going to happen. Teams will always go on their runs but we got the win and i’m happy. Our guys hit big shots and we finished it out.”
‘THAT’S GINEBRA, IT WAS GOING TO HAPPEN’
Chris McCullough says he wasn’t surprised that Barangay Ginebra made a comeback rally in the fourth.
His TNT still won Game 2 of the #PBAFinals, 101-94. | @MeloFuertesINQ
Follow our PBA live updates here: https://t.co/rSHcLS4Gxm pic.twitter.com/1KnekgTwmz
— INQUIRER Sports (@inquirersports) June 5, 2026
TNT led by as many as 22 points before Ginebra’s famed “Never Say Die” spirit surfaced in the fourth quarter.
The Gin Kings cut the deficit to four, 98-94, after a Justin Brownlee basket with less than a minute remaining.
Fortunately for the Tropang 5G, they held firm down the stretch behind Calvin Oftana, who sealed the win from the free-throw line on his way to a season-high 31 points.
McCullough was one of the reasons, if not the biggest, for TNT’s hot start as he muscled his way in the paint against fellow import Brownlee.
The former Beermen reinforcement finished with a double-double of 19 points and 16 rebounds.
To grab a 2-1 series lead on Sunday, McCullough believes TNT must stick to the formula that worked in Game 2.
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“We just came in with a sense of urgency. We had to be aggressive and be the attackers first. We also played good defense. I feel we did all those things today,” he said. “We were very aggressive from the start, our guys hit big shots and we just stayed aggressive.”
The Tropang 5G face the Gin Kings in Game 3 on Sunday at Mall of Asia Arena.
