Let me tell you, Friday night's game between Ginebra and TNT was exactly why I fell in love with basketball in the first place. As someone who's been covering the PBA for over a decade, I've seen my fair share of intense matchups, but this Game 2 had that special playoff energy that gets your heart racing even through the screen. The final score of 127-119 in favor of Ginebra doesn't even begin to capture the rollercoaster this game took us on - it was one of those contests where you couldn't look away for a second without missing something crucial.

What really stood out to me was how Ginebra's momentum from their previous victory carried straight into this game. Remember, they just came off that impressive win against Titan Ultra last Friday, and I've got to say, coach LA Tenorio seems to be working some serious magic with this squad. The Hotshots are playing with this renewed confidence that's palpable even from the stands. They're moving the ball differently, there's better spacing on the floor, and most importantly, they're closing out games strong - something that was a real issue for them earlier in the season.

Now, let me get into what made the difference in my opinion. The third quarter turnaround was where Ginebra really sealed this one. They were down by 8 points heading into halftime, and I'll admit I was getting worried about their chances. But whatever Tenorio said in that locker room clearly worked wonders. They came out with this aggressive defensive stance that completely disrupted TNT's rhythm, forcing 6 turnovers in just that quarter alone. I've always believed that championship teams win games with defense, and Ginebra's ability to switch from their offensive game to lockdown defense when it mattered most shows they're developing that championship mentality.

The individual performances were something else too. I counted at least four Ginebra players scoring over 20 points, which is just incredible balance. When you have that kind of distributed scoring, it becomes nearly impossible for opponents to focus their defensive efforts. TNT tried doubling the hot hand, but then someone else would step up and knock down crucial shots. That depth is going to be massive as this series progresses, especially with the physical toll these back-to-back games take on players.

Looking at the numbers, Ginebra shot an impressive 48% from the field and 38% from beyond the arc, but what really caught my eye was their free throw percentage - 87% on 32 attempts. That's championship-level efficiency right there. In close games, those free points become absolute gold, and Ginebra's discipline at the line ultimately made the difference in this 8-point victory. TNT will need to address their foul situation before Game 3 because giving away that many easy points just won't cut it at this level.

From where I'm sitting, this victory does more than just give Ginebra a 2-0 series lead - it sends a message to the entire league that they're for real under Tenorio's leadership. The way they maintained composure during TNT's scoring runs, the strategic timeouts that stopped momentum at just the right moments, the player rotations that always seemed to have fresh legs on the floor - these are all hallmarks of excellent coaching. I've seen many coaching transitions throughout my career, and this one appears to be clicking faster than most.

What worries me for TNT is their inability to sustain their offensive bursts. They had three separate stretches where they scored 10+ points unanswered, but each time Ginebra had an answer ready. Playoff basketball is all about responses, and TNT's responses to Ginebra's counterpunches just weren't sharp enough. They'll need to find more consistency in their half-court sets and maybe simplify their offense to get higher-percentage looks.

The atmosphere in the arena was electric, by the way. Even watching from home, you could feel the energy through the broadcast. Ginebra's fans have always been some of the most passionate in the league, and they definitely gave their team an extra boost during those crucial fourth-quarter minutes. Home court advantage is real in these situations, and Ginebra certainly fed off that crowd energy down the stretch.

As we look ahead to Game 3, I'm particularly interested to see how TNT adjusts their defensive scheme. They tried multiple approaches - full-court pressure, zone defense, switching everything - but nothing seemed to consistently slow down Ginebra's offensive machine. Sometimes you just have to tip your hat to superior execution, and that's what we saw from Ginebra for large portions of this game. They wanted it more, they executed better, and they absolutely earned this victory.

This series is far from over though. I've seen crazier comebacks in my time covering the league, and TNT has too much talent to go down quietly. But right now, Ginebra is playing like a team that understands this is their moment, and Tenorio has them believing they can beat anyone. If they maintain this level of play, we could be witnessing the beginning of something special - the dawn of a new era for Ginebra basketball.