TNT beats Kia in grind-it-out match
THE TNT KATROPA defeated the Kia Picanto, 90-85, in a grindit-out match yesterday at the Mall of Asia Arena to get back in the winning column and notch their fourth win in the PBA Philippine Cup.
Found themselves in a compressing match, the KaTropa held steady and adjusted accordingly when needed to held off the Picanto to march back to winning after losing in their previous game.
TNT and Kia got it going right way, jostling to set early control.
They were neck- and- neck three- fourths of the opening quarter before the KaTropa went on a surge to finish the frame and take a 28-24 lead at the end of the first 12 minutes.
Kia stepped up its intensity to start the second period, outscoring TNT, 7-4, to come within one point, 32-31, with seven minutes remaining.
Quick five points after, care of rookie Sidney Onwubere and Jayson Castro, gave the KaTropa more breathing space, 37-31.
The Picanto though would hang tough, not letting things to cascade further for them and kept the KaTropa within striking distance, 42-39, by halftime.
Unlike in the second quarter, TNT got out to a better footing at the start of the third canto.
Led by veteran Kelly Williams, the KaTropa went on a 10-6 run in the first four minutes to hold a seven-point cushion, 52-45.
But the Picanto would rally back, with Mark Yee showing the way.
They seized the lead, 59-58, at the 2:50-minute mark, extended it to four points, 62- 58, after Carlo Lastimosa drained a threepointer.
TNT took the lead anew with an and-one from big man Norbert Torres with a little over a minute left.
It was a springboard they would use to restore order in their favor, 69-62, at the end of the third.
The slugfest continued as the payoff quarter began and the outcome still wide open.
The teams fought to a 76-70 count with TNT on top and 8:31 to go before the latter went on a 5-0 blast to extend its lead to 81-70 after two minutes.
Kia, however, answered with a 7-0 run of their own, to come within four points, 81-77, with 4:31 remaining on the clock.
Back- to- back baskets by Messrs. Castro and Williams steadied the ship for TNT.
The Picanto tried to claw their way back, cutting their deficit to two points, 85- 83, with 1: 31 to play.
TNT though did not allow Kia to gain more headway after as RR Garcia scored four consecutive points to pretty much put the game away.
Mr. Williams led TNT with 23 points and eight rebounds while Mr. Castro added 22 points and nine boards.
Mr. Garcia finished with 13 points.
Rashawn McCarthy paced Kia with 21 and Jackson Corpuz adding 17 markers.
“While admittedly we are the better team over Kia, it should not only be in our minds but we have to perform as well and I think the message did not get through tonight,” said TNT coach Nash Racela of the struggle they had against Kia.
“It did not help either that Kia played well and made it hard for us. Just the same we must not show the same effort in our next game,” he added.
The two teams next play on Feb. 7 also at the Mall of Asia Arena with TNT (4-3) going up against the Phoenix Fuel Masters and Kia ( 1- 6) battling the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings. —