2020 PBA Philippine Cup finals
| ||||||||||
Dates | November 29 – present | |||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Television | Local: One Sports TV5 PBA Rush (HD) International: AksyonTV International | |||||||||
Announcers | see Broadcast notes | |||||||||
Radio network | Radyo5 (DWFM) | |||||||||
Referees | ||||||||||
|
The 2020 Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Philippine Cup Finals is the best-of-7 championship series of the 2020 PBA Philippine Cup, the lone conference of the season. The Barangay Ginebra San Miguel and the TNT Tropang Giga compete for the 42nd Philippine Cup championship and the 128th overall championship contested by the league. For the first time in six seasons and after winning the previous five titles, the San Miguel Beermen will not be defending their Philippine Cup title after being eliminated by the Meralco Bolts in the quarterfinals.[1]
This is the first time that the two teams met in the Philippine Cup finals since the 2004–05 season when Barangay Ginebra won the championship against Talk 'N Text, four games to two.
Background
Barangay Ginebra San Miguel
Before the season started, Ginebra suffered a major blow when Greg Slaughter decided to take a break from basketball, following the expiration of his contract.[2] Ginebra added Arvin Tolentino, Jerrick Balanza, and Kent Salado to the roster after selecting them in the 2019 PBA draft.
Ginebra started the season with four straight wins. However, they suffered from two straight setbacks after losing to Magnolia and Rain or Shine. Ginebra would eventually go 4–1 over their final five games to finish the eliminations round with an 8–3 record. Their record was tied with Phoenix for the best in the league, but Ginebra took the first seed as they defeated Phoenix in the eliminations. They advanced to the quarterfinals, holding a twice-to-beat advantage.
In the quarterfinals, Ginebra faced off against Rain or Shine. They defeated them in one game, 81–73, to advance to the semifinals.[3] In the best-of-5 semifinals, Ginebra faced off against Meralco. This marked the fifth time in the last five years that both teams met in the playoffs. The series went to the distance after the two teams alternated wins in the first four games. In the do-or-die game 5, both teams were tied at 80 with 14.5 seconds left. In the game's final possession, Scottie Thompson drilled the game winning triple with 0.6 seconds left to send Ginebra to the Philippine Cup finals.[4]
TNT Tropang Giga
Before the season started, TNT, NLEX, and Blackwater completed a three-team trade that sent Poy Erram, a former Defensive Player of the Year, to TNT.[5]
TNT started the season strong after pulling off five straight wins. However, TNT struggled over their last six games, going 2–4 to finish the eliminations round with a 7–4 record, tied for the second best in the league. TNT would eventually get the third seed after quotients were applied. As part of the top 4 seeded teams, TNT advanced to the quarterfinals with a twice-to-beat advantage.
In the quarterfinals, TNT faced off against Alaska. They would advance to the semifinals after defeating Alaska in one game, 104–83.[6] In the semifinals, TNT faced Phoenix, who held the second seed. After winning the first game, TNT fell to the brink of elimination after losing two straight games. TNT would eventually bounce back, defeating Phoenix in the final two games to advance to the Philippine Cup finals.[7]
Road to the finals
Barangay Ginebra San Miguel | TNT Tropang Giga | ||
---|---|---|---|
Finished 8–3 (.727) in 1st place with Phoenix | Elimination round | Finished 7–4 (.636) in 3rd place with San Miguel, Meralco, Alaska and Magnolia | |
Barangay Ginebra 1–0 Phoenix | Tiebreaker | Head-to-head quotient: TNT 1.074, San Miguel 1.023, Meralco 0.992, Alaska 0.959, Magnolia 0.955 (3rd place) | |
Def. Rain or Shine in one game (twice-to-beat advantage) | Quarterfinals | Def. Alaska in one game (twice-to-beat advantage) | |
Def. Meralco, 3–2 | Semifinals | Def. Phoenix, 3–2 |
Head-to-head matchup
November 6, 2020
6:45 pm |
Barangay Ginebra San Miguel 85, TNT Tropang Giga 79 | ||
Scoring by quarter: 20–11, 16–21, 28–25, 21–22 | ||
Pts: Pringle 28 Rebs: Pringle 12 Asts: Tenorio 9 |
Pts: Castro 19 Rebs: Parks 13 Asts: Castro, Rosario 3 |
AUF Sports Arena & Cultural Center, Angeles
Referees: N. Quilinguen, R. Gruta, J. Narandan, J. Baldago |
Series summary
Game | Date | Venue | Winner | Result |
---|---|---|---|---|
Game 1 | November 29 | AUF Sports and Cultural Center | Barangay Ginebra | 100–94 (OT) |
Game 2 | December 2 | * | * | |
Game 3 | December 4 | * | * | |
Game 4 | December 6 | * | * | |
Game 5* | December 9 | * | * | |
Game 6* | December 11 | * | * | |
Game 7* | December 13 | * | * |
Game summaries
Game 1
November 29, 2020
6:00 pm |
Barangay Ginebra San Miguel 100, TNT Tropang Giga 94 (OT) | ||
Scoring by quarter: 22–27, 19–14, 25–30, 26–21, Overtime: 8–2 | ||
Pts: J. Aguilar 25 Rebs: J. Aguilar 16 Asts: Tenorio 10 |
Pts: Parks 20 Rebs: Erram 10 Asts: Castro 5 | |
Barangay Ginebra leads series, 1–0 |
AUF Sports Arena & Cultural Center, Angeles
Referees: R. Yante, R. Gruta, J. Narandan, J. Baldago |
Ginebra won Game 1, 100-94, in overtime to take a 1-0 series lead. Japeth Aguilar led Ginebra with 25 points and 16 rebounds on an efficient 11-14 shooting while Stanley Pringle had 24 points, 7 rebounds, and 7 assists. Three other players scored in double digits for Ginebra. Bobby Ray Parks Jr. paced the scoring for TNT with 20 points before fouling out in overtime.
In the first quarter, TNT started off strong, leading by as much as 7 before taking a 5 point lead heading to the second quarter. Scoring slowed down in the second quarter, with Ginebra outscoring TNT, 19-14, to tie the game heading into halftime. Ginebra began to pull away in the third quarter as they led by as much as 9 with 6:55 left in the quarter. However, TNT went on a 20-6 run to end the quarter with a 5 point lead. Both teams went back-and-forth in the fourth quarter. In the final minutes of regulation, TNT hit three consecutive three pointers to take a 1 point lead with 36 seconds left. Ginebra had a chance to take the lead but Pringle lost the ball out of bounds. Parks was fouled on the ensuing possession, but he split his free throws. With 11 seconds to go, LA Tenorio drove to the basket before passing to a cutting Arvin Tolentino, who hit the game-tying layup with 5 seconds left. With a chance to win, Jayson Castro missed a floater before time expired.
In overtime, TNT struggled to find its offense, scoring only 2 points in overtime as Ginebra slowly pulled away. Ginebra effectively sealed the game when Tenorio found a wide open Aguilar for an uncontested dunk, giving them a 6 point lead with 19 seconds left.[8]
Game 2
December 2, 2020
6:00 pm |
Barangay Ginebra San Miguel vs. TNT Tropang Giga | ||
Scoring by quarter: 21–17 |
AUF Sports Arena & Cultural Center, Angeles
Referees: P. Balao, J. Mariano, M., J. Tantay |
Game 3
December 4, 2020
6:00 pm |
Barangay Ginebra San Miguel vs. TNT Tropang Giga |
AUF Sports Arena & Cultural Center, Angeles
|
Game 4
December 6, 2020
6:00 pm |
Barangay Ginebra San Miguel vs. TNT Tropang Giga |
AUF Sports Arena & Cultural Center, Angeles
|
Game 5
December 9, 2020
6:00 pm |
Barangay Ginebra San Miguel vs. TNT Tropang Giga* |
AUF Sports Arena & Cultural Center, Angeles
|
Game 6
December 11, 2020
6:00 pm |
Barangay Ginebra San Miguel vs. TNT Tropang Giga* |
AUF Sports Arena & Cultural Center, Angeles
|
Game 7
December 13, 2020
6:00 pm |
Barangay Ginebra San Miguel vs. TNT Tropang Giga* |
AUF Sports Arena & Cultural Center, Angeles
|
Rosters
Barangay Ginebra San Miguel 2020 PBA Philippine Cup roster | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Players | Coaches | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
- a Also serves as Barangay Ginebra's board governor.
TNT Tropang Giga 2020 PBA Philippine Cup roster | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Players | Coaches | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
Broadcast notes
The Philippine Cup Finals was aired on TV5 with simulcasts on One Sports and PBA Rush (both in standard and high definition). TV5's radio arm, Radyo5 provided the radio play-by-play coverage.
One Sports provided online livestreaming via their official YouTube account and Facebook fan page using the TV5 feed.
The PBA Rush broadcast provided English-language coverage of the Finals.
Game | TV5 | PBA Rush (English) | Courtside reporters | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Play-by-play | Analyst(s) | Play-by-play | Analyst(s) | ||
Game 1 | Magoo Marjon | Ryan Gregorio | Aaron Atayde | Dominic Uy | Selina Dagdag-Alas |
Game 2 | |||||
Game 3 | |||||
Game 4 |
References
- ^ Naredo, Camille B (November 15, 2020). "PBA: Meralco ends San Miguel's dynasty, advances to semis". ABS-CBN News. Retrieved November 16, 2020.
- ^ Lozada, Bong (8 February 2020). "Greg Slaughter takes a break from basketball as Ginebra contract expires". Inquirer. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
- ^ Matel, Philip (13 November 2020). "Japeth Aguilar powers Ginebra into Philippine Cup semifinals". ESPN 5. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
- ^ Villanueva, Eros (27 November 2020). "Thompson's triple sends Ginebra into Philippine Cup finals". ESPN 5. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
- ^ Ramos, Gerry (17 February 2020). "Poy Erram headed to KaTropa in TNT-Blackwater-NLEX trade". Spin.ph. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
- ^ Matel, Philip (14 November 2020). "TNT knocks out Alaska to book semis ticket". ESPN 5. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
- ^ Villanueva, Eros (27 November 2020). "Tropang Giga outplay Fuel Masters, book first finals slot". ESPN 5. Retrieved 27 November 2020.
- ^ Matel, Philip (29 November 2020). "Tenorio, Aguilar steer Ginebra to Game 1 victory over TNT". ESPN 5. Retrieved 30 November 2020.