Ginebra rookie learns lesson after loss to TNT

Barangay Ginebra rookie RJ Abarrientos acknowledged learning a tough lesson after his team's 104-88 loss to the TNT Tropang Giga in Game 1 of the PBA Governors' Cup Finals on Sunday.

Abarrientos faced off against veteran Jayson Castro, who scored 14 points and dominated defensively, particularly in the third quarter when he exploited switches to score over Abarrientos.

The game highlighted Abarrientos' defensive struggles as well as Ginebra's shooting woes from beyond the arc; they missed their first 18 three-point attempts before finishing at 2-of-21.

Coach Tim Cone admitted that his team was not focused throughout the game and struggled individually against TNT, which maintained its lead until the end.

Abarrientos expressed admiration for Castro's continued dominance despite his age but emphasized the need to overcome such challenges in future games, with Ginebra looking to bounce back in Game 2 on Wednesday at Araneta Coliseum.