TNT continued its mastery over Meralco, 108-99, on Thursday in the battle of Group A leaders in the 2024 PBA Governors’ Cup at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
Calvin Oftana got back to his usual form, while Rondae Hollis-Jefferson also helped TNT’s cause as the Tropang Giga have won four in a row while taking solo first in their group with a 6-1 win-loss record.
TNT swept its group stage match-up against Meralco, the Philippine Cup champions of last season, after winning their game last August 22, 93-73.
The Tropang Giga controlled the game for majority of the time, leading by as many as 14 points, 34-20, in the second quarter.
TNT then rode on the key baskets of Oftana in the end game after Meralco got to within three, 96-93. A lay-up by Oftana with 50.5 seconds remaining got TNT ahead, 106-97, on a 6-0 run that was also started by a lay-up by the comebacking Kelly Williams.
Oftana went on to finish with 25 points, eight in the fourth quarter, along with seven rebounds, and three assists while shooting 9-of-12 from the field, just a few games after he was dealing with a bruised hip.
Hollis-Jefferson added 22 points (11 in the fourth), seven rebounds, and nine assists, while Kim Aurin had 16 points including 10 in the first quarter when it led 32-20.
“I would say that when they cut it down to three points, we called a timeout. It was a very calm huddle,” said TNT coach Chot Reyes.
“We knew that they were going to come back. We had no pretentions, we had no illusions that it was going to be easy by any means," he added.
“We just reminded everyone in the timeout that they are making their run, let’s focus and make sure that we were able to do what needs to get done,” said Reyes.
Allen Durham played through an illness and had 26 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists, as Chris Newsome added 23 for the Bolts, which fell to 5-2 after their four-game winning streak was snapped.
The scores:
TNT 108 – Oftana 25, Hollis-Jefferson 22, Aurin 16, Castro 12, Erram 11, Williams 9, Pogoy 9, Nambatac 4, Heruela 0, Khobuntin 0.
Meralco 99 – Durham 26, Newsome 23, Cansino 12, Quinto 12, Banchero 10, Caram 8, Pasaol 4, Rios 4, Bates 0, Pascual 0, Jose 0, Mendoza 0.
Quarters: 32-20; 49-44; 78-67; 108-99.
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