CHICAGO - In this age of legal sports betting, the loss of a title-contending powerhouse to a winless, perennial loser, immediately raises suspicion.
So when previously 0-8 Terrafirma finally entered the win column by slaying mighty TNT, 84-72, at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium Thursday night, several antennas that detect malicious activities got activated.
READ: Pringle, Terrafirma finally break through at expense of league-leading TNT
False alarm.
"They looked tired," a league source who provides me with game box scores every play date told me right after the stunning reversal.
The fatigue factor makes sense,
A byproduct of effort, rebounding is often a faithful barometer to measure a team's energy level. The Tropang Giga didn't pass the grade vs. the Dyip, who dominated the boards, 58-40.
ROBOTIC RHJ.
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson was in his usual do-it-all mode with 25 points, 11 rebounds, two assists, and one block. He also had NINE steals, which is probably a felony for excessive ball theft.
Unfortunately for RHJ, only Roger Pogoy showed up to aid TNT's cause with 23 points on 5-of-9 shooting from three. The rest of the Tropa seemed to have ignored the roll call.
Calvin Oftana, Poy Erram, and Rey Nambatac pooled together a mere 12 points while combining to miss 22-of-27 field goals. It sure didn't help that Jayson Castro and Glenn Khobuntin only made 2-of-12 shots.
All told, TNT went 27-of-86 from the field (31.4 percent) and 8-of-32 from long-range (25 percent).
No malfeasance here.
After beating Magnolia last Tuesday, the Tropa had already clinched the top seed in Pool A. Tonight's assignment was a no-bearing game to them, which is probably why they were lethargic instead of energetic.
AT LONG LAST.
As for Terrafirma, well, it took them one disinterested combatant and 32 days since the start of the Governors' Cup to finally win one. Talk about a slow Dyip.
In fairness, the Dyip showed up for a fight regardless of TNT's mood,
Led by Antonio Hester's 22 points and 10 rebounds, Terrafirma connected on 29-of-62 shots for a high 48.6 clip, including 8-of-29 from deep (27.8 percent).
Stanley Pringle was so intense he scared a pot of coffee. He dropped 13 points in the fourth quarter and finished with 18 points, five boards, and two assists.
Sixty-eight days since shipping Stephen Holt and Isaac Go to Ginebra for Pringle, Christian Standhardinger, and a pick swap, the Dyip are 1-8 and eliminated from the playoffs.
Somehow, they beat TNT, but things are not always what they seem.
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