Barangay Ginebra leaned on a fourth-quarter explosion from RJ Abarrientos to secure a 100-90 victory against San Miguel in Game 3 of the PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup semifinals on Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The 25-year-old guard delivered 18 of his 24 points in the final frame, helping the Gin Kings break away late and take a 2-1 edge in the best-of-seven series.
Abarrientos came close to a triple-double, adding nine rebounds and eight assists to his name. His standout performance was a strong comeback after struggling offensively in the first two games—scoring just two points in their Game 1 win and seven in a lopsided Game 2 loss.
In Game 3, Abarrientos was relatively quiet through three quarters but erupted in the fourth. His clutch stepback four-point play over Juami Tiongson gave Ginebra a crucial 82-73 cushion, energizing the crowd and shifting momentum decisively.
