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The list of Scottie Thompson’s basketball accomplishments is long and impressive. But he had no trouble naming his five favorites.
Ever since he first burst onto the PBA scene as part of that loaded 2015 rookie batch, Scottie Thompson has proven to be a winner and bigtime player. He’s a certified fan favorite and last year was named to the PBA’s 50 greatest players of all time.
But among all his accolades and achievements, which ones stand out for Scottie? In an exclusive interview with The GAME, he named his top five.
Gold in Hangzhou
“For me, first is ‘yung Asian Games gold medal,” was Scottie’s first answer, and it’s a totally understandable top-of-the-list choice. This was the first time in 61 years that the Philippines bagged the gold in Asian Games men’s basketball, and the path to the gold went through Asian powerhouses Iran in the quarterfinals, hosts and defending champions China in the semifinals (the Justin Brownlee game), and Jordan, which had routed Gilas in the group stage, in the final.
What made the achievement in more special was the backstory behind the team’s formation. The SBP had little time to assemble a competitive lineup after the core of the Gilas World Cup team was unavailable for the Asian Games. Tim Cone had just been appointed head coach, and an all-PBA lineup reinforced by Brownlee was cobbled together with less than a week of preparation.
‘Brownlee ang tumanggap…’
“And then the Justin Brownlee last shot nung first championship namin,” Scottie said about no. 2.
It was Game 6 of the 2016 PBA Governors’ Cup Finals, and Barangay Ginebra held a 3-2 series lead over the Meralco Bolts. The score was tied at 88 and the Kings were inbounding with around five seconds left.
Brownlee received the inbounds pass from Sol Mercado, dribbled to the top of the key and launched a triple over Allen Durham. The shot went in, ending Ginebra’s eight-year title drought while sending the predominantly Ginebra crowd at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum into a frenzy and immortalizing Brownlee as an all-time Ginebra great.
The Fast and the Furious one last time
“I think number three, first championship din when Mark (Caguioa) and Jay-jay (Helterbrand) took over the series,” Scottie said about his third pick.
It was Game 4 of the aforementioned 2016 Governors’ Cup Finals, and the Bolts were ahead in the series 2-1 and well on their way to a commanding 3-1 series lead.
“Kung natalo kami, magiging 3-1,” Scottie recalled. “So ‘yun ‘yung turning point ng series.”
With Ginebra down by 16 entering the fourth quarter, Cone summoned a pair of former MVPs who by this time were now relegated to the end of the bench. Caguioa and Helterbrand entered the game at the same time and proceeded to orchestrate one of the biggest comebacks in PBA finals history.
Ginebra went on to win Game 4 and the next two games as well to end their title drought. And they have The Fast and the Furious tandem of Caguioa and Helterbrand to thank for that.
“They saved the series,” Cone remarked afterwards.
M-V-P! M-V-P!
“And then, I think ‘yung MVP year ko,” Scottie Thompson said about the fourth item on his list.
The past decade has seen June Mar Fajardo all but make the PBA MVP trophy synonymous with his name. That one year that he didn’t win was in 2021, when he was still recovering from a serious leg injury in early 2020. It was Scottie Thompson who stepped up and bagged the league’s highest individual honor after leading Ginebra to the 2021 Governors’ Cup crown.
That season, Scottie averaged career-highs in points (13.9) and rebounds (9.0) to edge out Mikey Williams, Robert Bolick and Calvin Abueva. He became just the fourth player in Ginebra’s history to win the award, joining Caguioa, Helterbrand and Eric Menk, and the first guard to win it since Caguioa in 2012.
Dragon Slayers
“And the Bay Area Championship,” was Scottie’s fifth choice.
In front of the largest crowd to ever witness a PBA game – 54,589 to be exact – Barangay Ginebra blasted the guest team Bay Area Dragons, 114-99, in Game 7 of the 2023 Commissioner’s Cup Finals at the Philippine Arena.
Thompson finished with 18 points and 9 rebounds in Ginebra’s wire-to-wire win, which sealed the franchise’s 15th PBA championship. The win also prevented Bay Area from becoming the first guest team since NCC in 1985 to win a PBA championship.
Banner images by Gail Geriane
Frequently Asked Questions
Scottie Thompson’s self-proclaimed career highlights include winning the historic 2023 Asian Games gold medal with Gilas Pilipinas and capturing his first PBA championship via Justin Brownlee’s 2016 buzzer-beater. He also highly values the Game 4 comeback led by veterans Caguioa and Helterbrand in 2016, his 2021 PBA Most Valuable Player award, and defeating the Bay Area Dragons in 2023.
The Philippines won the historic gold medal at the 19th Asian Games in Hangzhou in 2023, ending a 61-year championship drought for the nation. Led by coach Tim Cone and naturalized star Justin Brownlee, Gilas Pilipinas defeated Iran, China, and Jordan during their legendary tournament run.
Barangay Ginebra won the 2016 PBA Governors’ Cup title in Game 6 after Justin Brownlee hit a dramatic, tie-breaking three-pointer at the buzzer against the Meralco Bolts. This historic shot broke an eight-year championship drought for the franchise and cemented Brownlee’s legacy as an all-time team great.
Scottie Thompson won his first PBA Most Valuable Player award during the 2021 season after leading Barangay Ginebra to the Governors’ Cup title. Averaging career-highs of 13.9 points and 9.0 rebounds, he became the first guard to claim the league’s top individual honor since Mark Caguioa in 2012.
The 2023 PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals set an all-time league record with 54,589 fans attending Game 7 at the Philippine Arena. During this historic matchup, Barangay Ginebra defeated the guest team Bay Area Dragons 114-99 to secure the franchise’s 15th PBA championship.
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