TROPA STRETCH STREAK
Games today (Smart Araneta Coliseum) 4:30 p.m. – Terrafirma vs Phoenix 6:45 p.m. – Converge vs NLEX
Not even the early exit of RR Pogoy, TNT’s top gunner from last game, could slow down the Tropang Giga’s juggernaut in the PBA Governors’ Cup.
With import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson punching in a near triple-double and Mikey Williams and Calvin Oftana assuming lead local bomber chores, the Tropang Giga streaked to their fifth straight via a 111-104 disposal of Meralco yesterday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Hollis-Jefferson scattered 34 points, 11 rebounds, eight assists and two steals while Williams rifled in 25 and Oftana gunned down 19 spiked by five triples to tow TNT to a leading 7-1 card with Pogoy relegated to the bench.
Pogoy, who exploded with 40 in Wednesday’s 138-116 mangling of Blackwater, sprained his left ankle in the second period. The Cebuano sniper finished with four markers in 12 minutes of action.
“I still have enough forces left on my bench. And Mikey’s been a big help taking all that scoring load off Roger. That was huge,” said TNT coach Jojo Lastimosa, whose team bolstered its bid for the twice-to-beat incentive in the quarterfinals with this victory.
“These guys know to grind it out. Before the game, I told them we’re coming off backto-back games and it would be a struggle. But thankfully, they were ready,” added Lastimosa, whose team played its third match since Saturday.
As for Pogoy, Lastimosa could only hope for the best for the Gilas Pilipinas mainstay.
Later, San Miguel Beer (7-1) joined TNT at the summit after a 102-99 escape act over defending champion Barangay Ginebra (3-2).
The Beermen overcame the Gin Kings’ furious fightback from 13 points down and leaned on the bailout layup by Cam Clark (3510-2) to pull through and clinch a quarterfinal berth.
The Gin Kings, who were led by Christian Standhardinger’s 29-10-7 and Justin Brownlee’s 21-10-9, fell to fifth spot following their second straight loss. The scores: First Game TNT 111 – Hollis-Jefferson 34, M.Williams 25, Oftana 19, Castro 16, Khobuntin 6, Pogoy 4, Montalbo 4, K.Williams 3, Varilla 0, Chua 0.
MERALCO 104 – McDaniels 26, Black 21, Newsome 20, Banchero 11, Maliksi 11, Hodge 6, Quinto 4, Caram 2, Almazan 2, Pascual 1, Jose 0. Quarterscores: 27-25, 56-42, 86-69, 111-104 Second Game SAN MIGUEL 102 – Clark 35, Perez 20, Fajardo 12, Manuel 10, Lassiter 8, Enciso 6, Cruz 5, Brondial 4, Ross 2, Tautuaa 0.
GINEBRA 99 – Standhardinger 29, Brownlee 21, Gray 14, Thompson 13, Malonzo 9, Pringle 6, Pinto 6, Mariano 1, Tenorio 0.
Quarterscores: 24-21, 50-47, 82-72, 102-99