Texters outmaneuver Dyip; Kings win
Games Wednesday (Smart Araneta Coliseum) 4:30 p.m. – San Miguel vs Blackwater 7 p.m. – Ginebra vs NorthPort
TNT KaTropa found a way to get out of a slump in the PBA Governors Cup.
After a woeful start, TNT tapped assistant coach Eric Gonzales to take over Nash Racela, and pulled off a 118-114 overtime win over Columbian Dyip at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Team manager Virgil Villavicencio said Racela had gone on leave.
“Coach Nash is on leave. We will re-assess,” said Villavicencio after the KaTropa, who lost four of their first five games, won a game they badly needed to win.
The KaTropa are also looking for an import to replace Stacy Davis, the Pepperdine University hotshot who just can’t get his game going in the PBA.
Davis came in to replace Mike Glover but lost his first three games for TNT. He saw action for 22 minutes last night, and had 11 points and four rebounds.
“We are looking at three names. But there are other teams wanting to hire them, too. Hopefully, we find a replacement soon,” said Villavicencio.
Gonzales called the shots in the absence of Racela, who became TNT coach in 2016, and carried the team to the finals of last year Commissioner’s Cup, and lost to San Miguel.
Gonzales has served as Racela’s assistant even with FEU Tamaraws in the UAAP, and had a short stint with NorthPort, as an interim coach.
“I was surprised,” he said of the development. With someone new at the helm, the KaTropa got off to a fiery start, scoring 40 points in the first quarter when in their three straight defeats they went under 40 points in the first half.
TNT posted its biggest lead at 16 points but allowed the Dyip, who took their fourth defeat in as many games, to crawl back and force overtime at 107-107.
Gonzales said he was informed of the move after a team meeting last Saturday, and said he was in touch with Racela until hours before the game against Columbian.
In the other game, defending champion Ginebra relied on Justin Brownlee’s 45 points to deal Alaska its first taste of defeat, 109-101, while the crowd favorites moved up at 2-0. The scores: First Game TNT 118 – Castro 25, Romeo 22, Pogoy 16, Semerad 15, Davis 11, Garcia 9, Rosario 7, Williams 4, Trollano 3, Cruz 2, Paredes 2, Carey 2, Reyes 0, Golla 0.
Columbian 114 – King 26, Wright 24, McCarthy 18, Escoto 15, Camson 6, Lastimosa 6, Ababou 5, Khobuntin 4, Gabriel 4, Cabrera 3, Reyes 2, Sara 1, Cahilig 0.
Quarterscores: 40-26, 61-48, 84-77, 107107, 118-114 Second Game Ginebra 109 – Brownlee 45, Aguilar 24, Ferrer 11, Slaughter 9, Thompson 8, Chan 5, Caguioa 4, Tenorio 3, Mariano 0.
Alaska 101 – Manuel 28, Harris 23, Banchero 21, Baclao 10, Racal 7, Enciso 5, Casio 3, Exciminiano 2, Magat 2, Teng 0.
Quarterscores: 20-14, 36-34, 73-65, 109-101