TNT gave Terrafirma a reality check, but only after hacking out a 100-97 decision to get back on the winning track in the PBA Philippine Cup on Saturday at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
Calvin Oftana delivered down the stretch, while Jayson Castro hit clutch free throws as the Tropang Giga held firm in the middle of a late rally to hand the surprising Dyip their first defeat in three games.
TNT also drew a solid double-double from rookie big man Henry Galinanto as the Tropang Giga bounced back from their loss to another emergent team in Blackwater to improve to 2-1.
“What we’re seeing in the league now, not only Terrafirma, but Blackwater, Phoenix last conference, Northport, they’ve really stacked up,” TNT coach Chot Reyes said.
“Our discussion before the game, even before the Blackwater game, was we know that these teams are going to make it really difficult for us and we had to prepare long and hard for them, and we expected a tough game, and that’s exactly what it was,” he added.
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“So it’s good that this guy beside me and is also someone we were able to get from the draft helped out a lot,” Reyes continued, referring to Galinato, who they acquired from Rain or Shine in a prearranged deal days after the rookie proceedings.
Galinato continued to repay the trust TNT has given him, putting up a season-high 17 points alongside 11 boards and three assists in over 28 minutes as he stepped up in the absence of injured veteran Kelly Williams.
TNT then turned to its healthy veterans at crunch time as Oftana scored six of his 19 points inside the last three minutes, while Castro drained two charities to open a three-point lead that turned out to be the final score.
Castro finished with 23 points, two assists, and one rebound in less than 28 minutes, while Oftana wound up with a double-double with 10 boards on top of one assist and one block.
Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser was the other TNT player who scored in double digits with 11 on top of six boards, one steal, and one block.
Stephen Holt, Juami Tiongson, and Javi Gomez de Liano continued to shoulder the load for Terrafirma with 24, 21, and 18 points, respectively.
The scores:
TNT 100 – Castro 23, Oftana 19, Khobuntin 19, Galinato 17, Ganuelas-Rosser B. 11, Montalbo 4, Aurin 4, Heruela 3, Ebona 0, Varilla 0, Reyes 0, Ganuelas-Rosser M. 0, Ponferada 0
TERRAFIRMA 97 – Holt 24, Tiongson 21, De Liano 18, Go 11, Alolino 9, Ramos 5, Sangalang 5, Camson 2, Carino 2, Olivario 0, Calvo 0, Cahilig 0
Quarterscores: 23-21, 50-41, 73-69, 100-97
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