The 2021 Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Governors' Cup finals (or PBA Season 46 Governors' Cup finals) was the best-of-7 championship series of the 2021 PBA Governors' Cup, and the conclusion of the conference's playoffs. The playoffs were delayed into 2022 due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The Barangay Ginebra San Miguel and the Meralco Bolts competed for the 20th Governors' Cup championship and the 130th overall championship contested by the league. This was the fourth time that Barangay Ginebra and Meralco competed for the Governors' Cup championship in the span of six seasons. Barangay Ginebra won the three previous championships against Meralco in 2016, 2017, and 2019. Barangay Ginebra defeated Meralco in six games to win their fourth Governors' Cup title in five seasons. They are the lowest-seeded team since the San Miguel Beermen in the 2019 Commissioner's Cup to win a PBA title. Scottie Thompson was named the finals' MVP.
Background
Road to the finals
Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Meralco Bolts Finished 6–5 (.636) in 6th place Elimination round Finished 7–4 (.636) in 4th place win over the other against Alaska Tiebreaker Def. TNT in two games (twice-to-win disadvantage) Quarterfinals Def. San Miguel in one game (twice-to-beat advantage) Def. NLEX, 3–1 Semifinals Def. Magnolia, 3–2
Head-to-head matchup
Series summary Game Date Venue Winner Result Game 1 April 6, 2022 Smart Araneta Coliseum Meralco 104–91 Game 2 April 8, 2022 SM Mall of Asia Arena Barangay Ginebra 99–93 Game 3 April 10, 2022 Meralco 83–74 Game 4 April 13, 2022 Smart Araneta Coliseum Barangay Ginebra 95–84 Game 5 April 17, 2022 115–110 Game 6 April 22, 2022 SM Mall of Asia Arena 103–92
Game summaries Game 1
Game 2
Game 3
Game 4 Prior to the game, Barangay Ginebra's Scottie Thompson was awarded his first Best Player of the Conference award, and Barangay Ginebra import and Thompson's teammate Justin Brownlee was awarded the Best Import of the Conference award for the second time. Game 5
Game 6 The game was initially scheduled on April 20, 2022, at Smart Araneta Coliseum, but was later postponed to April 22 as fire broke out in one area of the arena during the preliminary round of the 2021 PBA 3x3 season – Second conference Grand Finals earlier in the day.
Rosters
Also serves as Barangay Ginebra's board governor.
Broadcast notes The Governors' Cup Finals was aired on TV5 with simulcast on PBA Rush (both in standard and high definition). TV5's radio arm, Radyo5 provided the radio play-by-play coverage. The One Sports network did not air games 1 and 2 as it aired the 2022 PVL Open Conference Finals, which happened on the same time as the PBA finals.
One Sports provided online livestreaming via the PusoPilipinas and Smart Sports Facebook pages using the TV5 and PBA Rush feeds respectively.
The PBA Rush broadcast provided English-language coverage of the Finals.
Game TV5 and One Sports SMART Sports (English & Filipino)Play-by-play Analyst(s) Courtside reporters Play-by-play Analyst(s)Game 1 Charlie Cuna Dominic Uy Denise Tan and Ysa Chong Jutt Sulit Vince Hizon Game 2 Jutt Sulit Joaquin Henson Denise Tan and Eileen Shi Carlo Pamintuan Mark Molina Game 3 Magoo Marjon Andy Jao Denise Tan and Ysa Chong Jinno Rufino Jolly Escobar Game 4 Charlie Cuna Andy Jao Denise Tan and Ira Pablo-Neypes Anthony Suntay Vince Hizon Game 5 Sev Sarmenta Dominic Uy Denise Tan and Ysa Chong Andre Co Jolly Escobar Game 6 Magoo Marjon Joaquin Henson Denise Tan and Ira Pablo-Neypes Jinno Rufino Mark Molina Additional Game 6 crew: Trophy presentation: Jutt Sulit Celebration interviewer: Denise Tan
References
External links PBA official website