GAME 2 of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals series was like the opener all over again.
Barangay Ginebra fashioned out yet another blowout win against top seeded Northport, 119-106, while TNT eked out another close win at the expense of Rain or Shine, 93-91, as the Kings and Tropang Giga took 2-0 leads in their respective best-of-seven duel.
Veteran Japeth Aguilar took care of business for the Kings together with Jamie Malonzo as the two went off in a fiery first half explosion to give Barangay Ginebra a huge 35-point spread from where the Batang Pier never recovered.
Aguilar finished with his third career-playoff best of 31 points including 10 in the opening period, while Malonzo had 17, with 11 of them coming in the second quarter in what was easily his best game so far since returning early this year from a calf surgery.
READ: Ginebra cruises to another easy win vs NorthPort for 2-0 lead
The TNT-Rain or Shine game meanwhile, went down to another final possession, with sophomore guard Adrian Nocum failing to sink in the possible game-tying basket at the buzzer.
The Tropang Giga survived the Elasto Painters’ endgame onslaught despite losing import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson to foul trouble in the final five minutes, and then veteran leader Jayson Castro to a serious knee injury three minutes after the exit of the two-time Best Import winner.
READ: TNT overcomes losing Castro, RHJ in endgame, frustrates ROS again
Rain or Shine and Northport’s fate are both on the line when Game 3 is played Sunday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in a match which Elasto Painters coach Yeng Guiao admitted as a must-win for his team if it is to remain on track of staying alive in the semis.
Here are some quick takeaways on what transpired in Friday’s Game 2 doubleheader at the Philsports Arena.
1.TNT PLANNED TO MANAGE JAYSON'S MINUTES AGAIN
Coach Chot Reyes was asked in Game 1 whether TNT will have Castro under load management again in the semifinals the way the team did in the previous Governors Cup Final Four. Reyes replied in one word – secret.
But reading between the lines when he added, ‘tinatanong mo naman agad, e,’ obviously the plan was there to restrict his minutes in the best-of-seven affair. Unfortunately, the injury suffered by the 38-year-old player widely acknowledged as the heart and soul of the franchise, came earlier ahead than the supposed TNT plan.
The Tropang Giga led, 93-84, when Castro was fielded back after Hollis-Jefferson fouled out to help restore stability in the plays of TNT. With less than two minutes since he came in, the roof suddenly caved in on Castro, whose awkward move as he drove to the basket led to his knee injury.
Grimacing in pain, he was stretchered straight to the hospital and was later learned to have suffered a patella tendon tear on his right knee. He’s been declared out not only for the rest of the conference, but for the entire season. In all, Castro averaged 22 minutes of play in the semifinals.
2.RAIN OR SHINE OUT TO POUNCE ON BIG BREAK AFTER CASTRO INJURY
The Elasto Painters just couldn’t get the endgame breaks they needed in losing the first two matches of the semifinals. Now the window of opportunity appeared to have opened on them with ‘The Blur’ set to sit out the rest of the season.
While feeling sorry for his fellow kabalen, coach Yeng Guiao admitted it’s one big break that fell on the lap of Rain or Shine and which he said, the Elasto Painters can take advantage of, given the situation they face right now.
The champion coach added the team is in a ‘must-win’ situation in Game 3 or else the series could be over. Expect the Rain or Shine backcourt to be extra active pounding its TNT counterpart that will be playing without its top guard.
3.SPOTLIGHT FALLS ON NAMBATAC AGAINST HIS FORMER TEAM
With Castro out, majority of the playing chores now fall on the hands of Nambatac, the former Rain or Shine player who has been alternately manning the backcourt for the Tropang Giga alongside ‘The Blur.’
It’s a huge shoes to fill for the guard out of Letran as Castro has been the top local scorer for TNT in the semis, averaging 18.5 points, while adding 3.5 rebounds, 4.0 assists, and 2.0 steals.
Nambatac has yet to go on track in the semis, shooting just 20 percent from the field and averaged 3.5 points, 2.5 rebounds, and 2.0 assists.
The Tropang Giga need to get more from Nambatac and the rest of their backcourt as well – Brian Heruela and Roger Pogoy - if they’ll deny the Elasto Painters another finals berth.
4.WELCOME BACK, JEREMIAH
Game 2 finally saw guard Jeremiah Gray back in the Barangay Ginebra rotation after missing a full season and a conference as he recovers from a complicated knee injury he suffered on the final day of the 2023 PBA On Tour.
The former no. 2 overall pick was almost-teary eyed while sharing his experience recovering from a second ACL injury in two years.
While he’s still feeling his way back, the Fil-Am guard said he’s just happy playing against after what he described as having gone through ‘one of the toughest things he went through’ while recovering from the devastating injury.
He heralded his comeback by finishing with six points on 2-of-4 shooting while suiting up for close to 10 minutes.
Get more of the latest sports news & updates on SPIN.ph
NOTICE ON UNAUTHORIZED AND UNLAWFUL USE, PUBLICATION, AND/OR DISSEMINATION OF SPIN.PH CONTENT: Please be notified that any unauthorized and unlawful use, publication, and/or dissemination of Spin.ph’s content and/or materials is a direct violation of its legal and exclusive rights to the same, and shall be subject to appropriate legal action/s.
