TNT Asian import Michael Madanly was exactly what the doctor ordered for the Texters in the second half of their PBA Governors' Cup semifinals match against Meralco on Tuesday.
With TnT star Jayson Castro bothered by Meralco's airtight defense, Madanly took charge and scored all but two of his 22 points in the second half when the team turned a tight game into a blowout.
TnT went on to open the best-of-five series with a 113-95 win at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
[See Castro can be just as lethal for TNT even without scoring a ton of points]
"That's our pace to play but we can't play 48 minutes in that same intensity. In the first half, we tried to go deep and maintain that," said Madanly, who was averaging 14.4 points, 2.9 rebounds, and 1.3 assists prior to Tuesday's match.
"In the second half, we put more energy, attacked the rim, and play defense," the Syrian reinforcement, who hit four three-pointers, added.
Despite the blowout win, Madanly said TnT, which has lost just one game all conference, should not fall into a state of complacency.
"We have to keep improving everyday," he said. “We cant relax and think that we're champions. It's a good win, it's 1-0, but we have to focus on the next game. They're going to find ways to stop us."
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