TNT tops Ginebra in opening clash
Game tonight (Smart Araneta Coliseum) 6:30 p.m. – Rain or Shine vs San Miguel Beer (Semis Game 1)
TNT KaTropa struck the first blow against Barangay Ginebra, besting the Gin Kings in a PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinal series opener that was as fierce as advertised, 95-92, last night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Terrence Jones and Troy Rosario took charge in a furious TNT assault in the stretch, delivering clutch plays as the KaTropa wiped away the defending champions’ eight-point lead in the last 5:30 en route to drawing first blood in the best-of-five affair.
Jones and Rosario combined for 14 in the final canto in an identical 24-point output with the prolific import also posting 10 rebounds, seven assists, four blocks and three steals and the Gilas forward making five triples plus 10 boards.
The KaTropa finished the game on a 16-5 exchange with Jones icing it with a crucial block on Scottie Thomson and a left-handed lay-up with 10.9 seconds left.
“Even if we’re down, the team didn’t give up, we didn’t lose hope knowing that if we played good defense, it will help us win the game,” said TNT coach Bong Ravena, whose wards shoot for a commanding 2-0 lead in two nights’ time.
The win came at a cost for TNT, though, as Anthony Semerad was forced out of action after hurting his shoulder in a collision with Ginebra’s Justin Brownlee fighting for a looseball with 39 seconds left. Semerad, TNT’s primary import defender who also gave the squad a bonus of 17 markers, was feared to have dislocated his left shoulder.
“Hope it’s not serious,” said Ravena.
Jayson Castro and Roger Pogoy also turned in double digit production for TNT with 13 and 10, respectively, helping out with three points apiece in the closeout.
Bronwlee fired 23 with 15 boards, nine assists, and five steals in a losing cause.
The Gin Kings went up by as many as 10 in the third and held an 87-79 upperhand halfway through the fourth before the topseeded KaTropa unleashed their strong finishing kick.
With Jones and Rosario as anchors, TNT zoomed past Ginebra, 93-89 going to the last 1:30 and fended off the Gin Kings’ last-ditch effort to steal it.
“Obviously, defense gave us this win; we made some crucial stops in the end game,” said Ravena.
The scores: TNT 95 – Jones 24, Rosario 24, A. Semerad 17, Castro 13, Pogoy 10, Trollano 6, Heruela 2, Washington 0, Taha 0, Reyes 0, Magat 0.
Ginebra 92 – Brownlee 23, Pringle 18, Tenorio 18, Devance 11, Aguilar 8, Slaughter 7, Caguioa 7, Caperal 0, Mariano 0, Thompson 0, Teodoro 0.
Quarterscores: 23-24, 51-50, 70-78, 95-92