JORDAN Heading returned from injury to score 23 points as TNT regained its winning ways, beating Titan Ultra, 114-80, on Saturday in the PBA 50th Season Governors’ Cup at the Ynares Center-Montalban.
Heading topscored after playing for the first time since missing two games due to a shoulder injury to help TNT to atone for its 88-83 loss to NLEX last Tuesday.
The Tropang 5G improved their win-loss record to 4-3, while the Giant Risers dropped to 2-6.
Rahlir Hollis-Jefferson had a double-double of 19 points and 12 rebounds, and Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser added 19 points for the Tropang 5G, who shot 49 percent from the field.
TNT also got RR Pogoy back for the game after recovering from an MCL sprain, scoring four points and three assists that also boosted the Tropang 5G especially offensively after shooting just 38 percent against NLEX.
“We really made a concerted effort to really focus on defense, and I thought even when we lost to NLEX, I thought we played great, great defense except we just couldn’t put enough points on the board because we didn’t have Jordan and Roger,” TNT coach Chot Reyes said.
TNT trailed 5-3 early, but grabbed the lead the rest of the way after that, with the 34-point winning margin being the highest of the contest.
Heading, Hollis-Jefferson, and Ganuelas-Rosser contributed to TNT stretching the lead by combining for 21 of the Tropang 5G's 34 points in the first quarter, while equalling Titan Ultra's points in that same quarter.
Heading had 10 points in the third quarter to continue the onslaught.
TNT contained Titan Ultra import Tirrell Brown to his lowest point production of the conference at 14 points as the topscorer of the Giant Risers.
The scores:
TNT 114 – Heading 23, Ganuelas-Rosser 19, Hollis-Jefferson 19, Nambatac 14, Aurin 12, Ferrer 9, Galinato 4, Quitevis 4, Pogoy 4, Jalalon 2, Erram 2, Khobuntin 2, Enciso 0.
Titan Ultra 80 – Brown 14, Balanza 13, Sajonia 13, Ular 10, Sumang 8, Munzon 7, Caralipio 6, Wong 4, Yu 3, Dionisio 2, Cuntapay 0, Javillonar 0, Amores 0, Pessumal 0.
Quarters: 34-21; 60-44: 82-60; 114-80.
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