It should have ended last Wednesday and the Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings should have been crowned the 2022-2023 Philippine Basketball Association Commissioners’ Cup champions.
But the last five seconds of Game 6 denied the Gin Kings their moment of glory.
Justine Brownlee and Stanley Pringle missed their triples, and Scottie Thompson turned the ball over on a bad pass in the final 29 seconds, allowing the Bay Area Dragons to an 87-84 triumph over the Gin Kings at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Now that the best-of-seven series tied at 3-all, the Kings and Dragons shoot for the title on Sunday at the Philippine Arena in Bulacan.
“We did what we wanted to do defensively, we just didn’t knock down shots on the offensive side,” said Kings’ coach Tim Cone.
The returning Myles Powell provided answers to the Dragons’ offensive needs when he drilled two of four free throw attempts he shot in the last 5.4 seconds for the win.
He was never expected to be back because of an ankle injury that he was trying to recover from.
But coach Brian Goorjian said he got a surprise when their team’s physical therapist told him the Powell was ready to go.
“Myles was done. He wasn’t ready for anything under his legs. We thought Nicholson was close to coming back. Then, the doctors told me he can play. And we did not know he was gonna make those shots. And then I knew that was something special,” said Goorjian.
Meanwhile, the PBA will be providing free rides for Sunday’s deciding Game 7.
The shuttle service is exclusive for media personnel and ticket holders and will be on a first-come, first-served basis.
FMR buses will be waiting for passengers at its terminal along Roosevelt Ave. in Quezon City.
First trip going to the Philippine Arena in Bocaue, Bulacan will start at 1 p.m.
Only passengers who availed the trip to the Philippine Arena will be allowed to make the free shuttle back to Manila.