CHIBA Jets went on a huge third-quarter run to pull away from TNT and hack out a 93-75 win on Wednesday night in the opener of the EASL Season 2 at the Funabashi Arena in Japan.
The Jets peeled off from a tight first half by outscoring the undermanned Tropang Giga, 26-12, in the third period to finally take control, 71-56.
Naturalized player and former San Miguel import Ira Brown finished with a double-double of 19 points and 12 rebounds for the Jets, including a three-pointer with 4:33 left to play that made it an 88-67 lead.
"We simply ran out of gas. We kind of expected it," said coach Jojo Lastimosa from Japan as the Tropang Giga missed the services of seven key players.
Import DJ Stephens also had 19, while Ren Kanechika lighted up the scoreboard by hitting six three-pointers that accounted for his 18 points for the B. League runner up last season that also featured guard Yuki Togashi, team captain of the Japan national team that saw action in the FIBA World Cup and qualified to the 2024 Paris Olympics.
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Quincy Miller had a game-high 22 points to show the way for TNT, which kept in step with the Jets in the opening half, and even led 41-35.
But a 10-3 burst by Chiba to end the second quarter gave the Japanese side a 45-44 lead at the break.
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson added 15 points, nine rebounds, and five assists for the Tropang Giga, but was 6-of-28 from the floor including a 0-of-9 shooting from beyond the arc.
TNT was missing seven key players including injured Poy Erram, Justin Chua, Roger Pogoy, Mikey Williams, Calvin Oftana, Jewel Ponferada, and rookie Henry Galinato.
The two Group A teams will have a rematch on Nov. 1 when TNT hosts Chiba in Manila.
The scores:
Chiba (93) – Brown 19, Stephens 19, Kanechica 18, Okura 12, Mutts 9, Nishimura 6, Ogawa 6, Togashi 2, Arao 2, Kaishu 0, Sekiya 0.
TNT (75) – Miller 22, Hollis-Jefferson 15, Khobuntin 15, Castro 12, Montalbo 4, Heruela 4, Reyes 3, K. Williams 0, Flores 0, Ganuelas-Rosser 0.
Quarterscores: 21-22; 45-44; 71-56; 93-75.
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