TOP seed TNT ousted Barangay Ginebra from the 2021 PBA Philippine Cup title race on Wednesday night with an emphatic 84-71 victory at the Don Honorio Ventura State University gym in Bacolor, Pampanga.
The top-seeded Tropang GIGA emerged from a 10-day layoff with hardly any rust as they totally dominated the shorthanded Gi Kings to exact revenge on the team that beat them in last year's Philippine Cup Finals.
“We’ve been off for 10 days so we expected that we wouldn’t be as sharp to start the ballgame," said TNT coach Chot Reyes. "We discussed that we just need to keep grinding and count on our defense to stay in this game."
The loss ended a disappointing campaign for the Gin Kings, who had to beat Phoenix Super LPG in a playoff to take the No. 8 seed after ending the eliminations with a 4-7 win-loss card.
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RR Pogoy, Troy Rosario, and Mikey Williams made their presence felt when TNT went on a 14-2 run in the second quarter to take command. That stretch put the Tropang GIGA ahead, 35-27, and they never relinquished the lead thereafter.
The Tropang GIGA will now face the winner of the San Miguel-NorthPort series in the best-of-seven semifinals.
Pogoy scored 16 points while Rosario and Williams added 15 and 11 points apiece for TNT. The three combined for 17 of the Tropang GIGA’s 22 points in that decisive stretch in the second quarter.
Pogoy had nine points in the third period as the attack continued for TNT, which ended the quarter with a 66-49 lead. The Tropang GIGA led by as many as 23 points, 84-61, in the fourth quarter.
“The game was a lot harder than the score indicated,” insisted Reyes.
Already playing without Japeth Aguilar due to a sprained MCL and Scottie Thompson due to the league’s health and safety protocols, Ginebra lost another player when Aljon Mariano rolled his ankle in the second period.
Christian Standhardinger tallied 17 points and 19 rebounds, but logged a game-high 41 minutes. Stanley Pringle added 15 points in 36 minutes.
The scores:
TNT 84 – Pogoy 16, Rosario 15, M. Williams 11, Montalbo 10, Erram 9, Castro 7, Khobuntin 5, K. Williams 4, Heruela 3, Reyes 2, Marcelo 2, Exciminiano 0, Alejandro 0, Javier 0, Mendoza 0.
Barangay Ginebra 71 – Standhardinger 17, Pringle 15, Tenorio 9, Ayaay 9, Chan 5, Devance 5, Dillinger 4, Caperal 4, Mariano 3, Salado 0, Tolentino 0
Quarters: 17-21; 39-33; 66-49; 84-71.
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