MANILA — Chris McCullough outplayed Justin Brownlee in an epic import showdown to lead TNT to a 98-90 win against Ginebra on Sunday night, June 14, 2026, in Game 6 of the PBA Commissioner's Cup Finals before a crowd of 22,731 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.
Two nights after witnessing Brownlee drop a career-high 54 points, McCullough responded with a 53-point blast on 20-of-36 shooting, including 6-of-12 from three-point range, to go along with 22 rebounds.
However, none of his baskets was more important than his four-point shot with 1:53 left that gave the Tropang 5G enough cushion to hold off the Brownlee-led gallant fight by the Gin Kings.
"Just to come out and be aggressive, I'll take my shots and not shy away from those shots even though I've been missing a lot. I've been doing this for 12 years, so it's something I know how to do. And I'm just happy we stuck with it, played good defense, rebounded well, and hit big shots," said McCullough, a first-round pick in the 2015 NBA Draft.
Jordan Heading added 19 points, one rebound, nine assists, one steal, and one block for TNT, which sent the championship round to a Game 7 on Wednesday night at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay.
The Tropang 5G prevailed despite missing injured stars Calvin Oftana and Brandon Rosser. TNT also had to overcome the loss of veteran guard Jayson Castro, who sprained his ankle during the game.
Fresh off the 54-point blast in Ginebra's Game 4 overtime win, Brownlee fired 52 on 23-of-33 field goals, adding five rebounds, three assists, two steals, and two blocks. However, no other Gin King scored in double figures.
"We just want to go out there and win. We want to put our best foot forward and try to play the best that I could for the team," Brownlee said of his drive for back-to-back 50-point games.
According to chief statistician Fidel Mangonon, the McCullough-Brownlee showdown marked the first time both PBA finalists had 50-point scorers each since Carlos Briggs dropped 60 for the Ginebra franchise (then known as Añejo) and Ennis Whatley fired exactly 50 for San Miguel in Game 4 of the 1989 Reinforced Conference championship series.
