WATCH: Christian Standhardinger Highlights [Brgy. Ginebra vs TNT | Dec. 25, 2023]

Scottie Thompson made it a Christmas Day to remember for Brgy. Ginebra, leading his team back for an 86-78 win over TNT on Monday night in the PBA Season 48 Commissioner’s Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.

Thompson nailed two critical three-pointers late to bail out the Gin Kings, which spent most of the game playing catch-up against a Tropang Giga side that led by as many as 13 points while playing without import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson.

Brgy. Ginebra’s sixth win in nine games was enough to guarantee it a quarterfinal berth as it tied San Miguel at fourth place in the team standings.

The Gin Kings went on an 8-0 run after trailing, 74-71, in the fourth, with Thompson capping that stretch with an offensive rebound and a putback.

Thompson then drained two dagger threes, the second with 31.2 seconds remaining on the clock, giving his team an 85-78 lead.

Thompson also played solid defense, limiting Calvin Oftana to just six points in the final quarter after the Gilas Pilipinas forward had scored 10 in the previous period.

“You look at the start of the game, there’s no Rondae, no Jayson Castro, Mikey Williams is nowhere to be found. It looked like the game was supposed to be easy for us,” said Brgy. Ginebra head coach Tim Cone during the post-game presser.

“Coach Jolas [Lastimosa] came out and just coached a hell of a game out there… It was a real grind for us except for Scottie taking over down the stretch and making a couple of big shots, the game was practically a toss-up,” he added.