Rice lifts KaTropa

Game Today (Hoops Dome, Lapu-Lapu City) 5 p.m. – Ginebra vs Alaska

Glen Rice Jr. repaid the faith of coach Nash Racela, Jayson Castro suited up in the second half despite an injury and TNT KaTropa overcame the Brandon Brown-led Phoenix Fuel Masters, 110-103, yesterday in the PBA Governors' Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Rice had 38 points, nine rebounds, five assists, three steals and three blocks, bouncing back from a lackluster debut in Sunday's lopsided loss to the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters that gave the KaTropa their third win in five games in the season-ending conference.

The son of former NBA All-Star Glen Rice went 6-of-22 from the field for just 19 points in TNT's 105-73 defeat to Rain or Shine.

“We went to this game with the hope of Glen playing a lot better than he did in the first game, and he did, he really helped the team,” Racela said of Rice, son of former NBA AllStar Glen Rice.

Castro, a game-time decision after sustaining a bruised game in Gilas Pilipinas' game against Jordan in the FIBA Asia Cup in Lebanon over the weekend, suited up in the second half and finished with 11 points and three rebounds.

“We knew we would play Roger, but not really sure of Jayson. But when Jayson gave me a signal na okay daw siya, then we gambled on using him,” Racela mentioned.

“Well this team is about making sacrifices, they've done their part sacrificing for the national cause and right away sakripisyo kaagad sila para sa (TNT). Again it’s not easy for them, but they still decided to play and that's greatly appreciated by the team and their teammates.”

Pogoy added 13 points, including a basket off a drop pass by Ranidel de Ocampo that gave TNT a 107-101 lead with 1:46 lead, making it tough for Phoenix to make a comeback.

Kelly Williams was the top local scorer with 18 points that erased the bitter stigma of Sunday's 105-73 defeat to the Elasto Painters that forced the KaTropa to give heavy minutes to third-string players in the absence not only of Castro and Pogoy, but also Troy Rosario.

Rosario is currently in Kuala Lumpur representing Gilas in the Southeast Asian Games.

Rice 38, Williams 18, De Ocampo 14, Pogoy 13, Castro 11, Semerad 7, Tautuaa 7, Lingganay 2, Reyes 0, Carey 0, Hernandez 0. Brown 49, Eriobu 12, Wright 11, Intal 10, Jazul 8, Chan 5, Alolino 4, Kramer 2, Wilson J. 2, Dehesa 0. Quarters: 25-23; 46-49; 86-79; 110-103.