TNT ESCAPES PAST PHOENIX
JAYSON CASTRO stood tall at crunch time to help TNT Tropang Giga secure a 95-92 victory over Phoenix Super LPG in Game 1 of their semifinals series in the Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup on Wednesday at the Angeles University Foundation Gym in Pampanga.
With the Fuel Masters threatening at 88-90 with 54 seconds left, Castro grabbed an offensive rebound and nailed a coldblooded three-pointer over Calvin Abueva to put the Tropang Giga up by four with only 26 seconds remaining.
TNT hung tough from there to gain the headstart in the best- of-five series.
“Jayson really stepped up tonight and he proved his seniority. His leadership, execution and making good decisions are what we need from him. We’re very fortunate that he scored the very important basket,” TNT head coach Ferdinand “Bong” Ravena said.
Castro scattered 12 points in the fourth quarter and finished with 20 points on top of six rebounds, six assists and two steals. Bobby Ray Parks Jr. tallied 17 points, seven rebounds and four steals for the Tropang Giga.
Phoenix didn’t give up easily as RJ Jazul knocked in a three-pointer to slice the deficit to 91-92 with 20 ticks left. But Simon Enciso’s split free throws gave TNT a 93-91 lead. The Fuel Masters had a chance to force overtime, but Jason Andre Perkins also split his charities.
Castro calmly made two free throws with five seconds left before Phoenix’s Alex Mallari muffed a potential game-tying three-pointer at the buzzer.
Roger Pogoy nailed 16 points and collected nine rebounds while John Paul Erram dominated the paint.
PLAYER OF THE WEEK
MATTHEW WRIGHT proved to be the right man for Phoenix Super LPG after leading the team to a second straight semifinals stint in the Philippine Cup.
In one of the biggest games of his career and in Phoenix franchise history, Wright rose to the occasion and delivered big time in the clutch when he hit the game-winning three-pointer in a thrilling
89-88 win that slammed the playoffs door on Magnolia.
The 29-year- old
Wright finished with
32 points and nine assists to help the second seeded
Fuel Masters reached the All- Filipino semifinals anew against No. 3 TNT Tropang Giga.
The 6-foot- 4 gunner averaged 20.0 points, 4.3 rebounds, and 7.3 assists as the Fuel Masters went 2- 0 in the final week of the eliminations to clinch a twice-to-beat edge in the quarterfinals.
Wright’s heroics and numbers made him the unanimous choice as Cignal TV–PBA Press Corps Player of the Week for the period November 9 to 15.
Wright’s consistent showing also steadies his hold on the players’ statistical race with 35.9 SPS behind norms of 22.8 points, 5.4 rebounds, and 6.0 assists. Joseframos