TNT finally closed a game in the PBA Philippine Cup Finals on Wednesday night, beating Barangay Ginebra, 88-67, to keep its title hopes alive at the Angeles University Foundation Sports Arena and Cultural Center.
RR Pogoy picked up from where he left off offensively at the Smart Clark Giga City but got a lot of support from Troy Rosario and Jayson Castro as the Tropang Giga avoided falling into a 0-3 hole in the best-of-seven series.
Shooting impeccably and getting the fifty-fifty balls, TNT led by as many as 22 points and - unlike in Game Two where it blew a 15-point second-half lead - never lifted its foot off the gas pedal to win pulling away.
After scoring 38 points in a Game Two defeat, Pogoy once again topscored for TNT with 18 markers as he stepped up once again in the absence of leading scorer Bobby Ray Parks, who sat out his second straight game due to a calf injury.
A welcome development for TNT was Rosario, who finally got his offensive game going in the finals and scored 15 points. Castro, meanwhile, had a double-double, scoring 15 points and dishing out 10 assists.
TNT made its move in the second quarter, outscoring Ginebra, 23-8, for a 44-34 halftime lead.
“Kailangan naming manalo eh. Masaya lang kami na we stuck to our rules. Kung ganun lang gagawin namin and stick to our rules, we will have a better chance of winning the game,” said TNT coach Bong Ravena.
Pogoy began the second quarter on fire, scoring nine in a decisive 11-0 run to open a 32-26 lead for the Tropang Giga. Castro ended the quarter with a steal off LA Tenorio for an unmolested lay-up and a 10-point halftime lead.
Ginebra came to within two points after conversions by Scottie Thompson and Tenorio, 56-54, but TNT responded quickly with a 10-2 blast to end the third ahead, 66-56.
Poy Erram and Simon Enciso soon joined the fray, burying three-pointers as the Tropang Giga all but put the game away, 80-61.
“Medyo minalas din ang Ginebra. Hindi sila nakaka-shoot. Kailangan na kailangan ‘yung sense of urgency. We really have to win this game. Or else, baka ma-sweep kami. Next game, ganun pa rin ang mentality namin,” said Ravena.
Enciso added 14 points for the Tropang Giga while Erram had a double-double with 12 points and 14 rebounds to go with two blocks.
Tenorio led Ginebra with 19 points and six assists but Stanley Pringle was held to 11 points by TNT's defense. Japeth Aguilar added 15 points.
Ginebra’s offense was so off on Wednesday that its 67-point output was its lowest in the finals since Cone joined the team, according to PBA statistics chief Fidel Mangonon.
The scores:
TNT 88 – Pogoy 18, Castro 15, Rosario 15, Enciso 14, Erram 12, Washington 9, Reyes 5, De Leon 0, Semerad 0, Montalbo 0, Vosotros 0, Flores 0.
Barangay Ginebra 67 – Tenorio 19, J. Aguilar 15, Pringle 11, Thompson 8, Mariano 8, Dela Cruz 3, Dillinger 2, Chan 1, Tolentino 0, Caperal 0, Devance 0, Balanza 0.
Quarters: 21-26; 44-34; 66-56; 88-67.
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