KaTropa in quarters
Games Tomorrow (Smart Araneta Coliseum) 4:15 p.m. – Alaska vs Meralco 7 p.m. – GlobalPort vs Star
TNT KaTropa made the big plays on both ends down the stretch and outlasted NLEX, 112-107, last night to clinch a quarterfinals berth in the PBA Governors’ Cup at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City.
Import Glen Rice Jr. and Jayson Castro hit a pair of threes in the final two minutes while Kelly Williams and Ryan Reyes made crucial defensive stops to restore the KaTropa’s hold on the fourth spot with a 6-3 record.
Rice posted a triple-double with 25 points, 15 rebounds and 10 assists while Troy Rosario delivered 17 points and 12 rebounds in TNT’s first game since trading longtime mainstay Ranidel de Ocampo to Meralco in a threeteam trade.
NLEX blew a chance to grab the solo lead and dropped to third place at 7-3.
American reinforcement Aaron Fuller finished with 28 points and 18 rebounds for the Road Warriors.
Rice’s right-elbow three and Williams intercepted a pass intended for Fuller to score a layup gave TNT a 107-101 lead with less than two minutes left.
NLEX responded with five straight points, ending with an Alex Mallari triple to pull within a point, 107-106, 1:29 remaining. Castro, however, responded by knocking down a shot from rainbow territory 17 seconds later for a 110-106 advantage.
Fuller was about to coral the offensive rebound off an NLEX miss on the ensuing possession, but Reyes stripped the ball from the import to hasten TNT’s victory.
Earlier, Rain or Shine held off Phoenix’s final push and came through with a 116-111 victory last night to remain in contention for a twice-to-beat bonus.
Raymond Almazan, import J’Nathan Bullock, Jericho Cruz and Gabe Norwood made crucial plays in the final six minutes, handing the Elasto Painters a crucial victory that kept them within pace of the KaTropa for fourth.
Bullock topscored with 33 points, Almazan had 25 points, 11 rebounds and three blocks, Norwood posted 17 points, six rebounds and three assists and Cruz hit 14 for the Elasto Painters, who tied the San Miguel Beermen for fifth at 5-3.
Rookie Matthew Wright fired 17 of his 36 points in the third while import Brandon Brown scored 33 points, but it was not enough Phoenix to lose its eighth straight after a 2-0 start to bow out of playoff contention.
Bullock 33, Almazan 25, Norwood 17, Cruz 14, Yap 9, Borboran 7, Tiu 6, Ahanmisi 5, Trollano 0, Belga 0, Matias 0. Wright 36, Brown 33, Jazul 9, Wilson W. 8, Kramer 8, Intal 7, Chan 6, Lanete 2, Eriobu 2, Alolino 0, Miranda 0, Dehesa 0. Quarters: 24-18; 61-45; 85-84; 116-111.