Though Terrence Romeo’s debut with their team underwhelmed, the TNT Katropa coughed up a 21-point lead before making it rain on the Globalport Batang Pier to take a 128-114 victory, Sunday evening at the SMART-Araneta Coliseum.
Romeo, who was traded from Globalport to TNT, had a tough game. The reigning scoring champion was limited to just 11 points on 4-of-13 shooting to go along with five turnovers.
“It’s acceptable. Acceptable. Again this is just Terrence’s fourth game I think coming from semi-retirement, ‘di ba?,” second-year TNT head coach Nash Racela quipped. “He was out for a full conference. So obviously if you really look at him, he’s not yet in good playing shape, his timing is kinda off. But he did what we expected him to do in this game.”
Fortunately for him, his teammates were sensational in the final frame.
Behind Sean Anthony’s huge 19-point second quarter, the Batang Pier were able to erase a 21-point lead, 36-15, to make a game out of the contest. The momentum carried over to the third frame as Globalport was able to take its first taste of the lead 74-73 after two free throws by Malcolm White with 3:51 left.
However, TNT’s firepower proved to be too much early in the final frame.
Frank Golla, Roger Pogoy, Jericho Cruz, and Jayson Castro torched the Globalport defense, draining six threes to restore order. The furious rally was capped by a jam by Troy Rosario that extended TNT’s lead to 16, 107-91.
Castro led TNT with 21 points and 10 assists whiel Pogoy had 18 markers and seven rebounds. As a team, TNT drained 15 triples.
Making things worse for Globalport was their import Malcolm White fouled out of the game with 5:41 left after Jeremy Tyler was able to draw a charge. White had 27 points and 12 rebounds.
“It’s always a struggle for new imports to come into the PBA. I think that the first three to five games, they will get into foul trouble. Hindi pa sila familiar with the way the game is played here,” shared Racela as his import was also plagued by fouls all throughout the contest and finished the game with just 14 points and 12 rebounds.
Mo Tautuaa was also ejected out of the game with 2:41 remaining as he kicked Tyler after a dunk. TNT’s first overall pick in the 2012 Rookie Draft ended up with 10 points and seven rebounds.
Moreover, things got chippy between the two squads as there were multiple confrontations occured all throughout the game.
“It’s nice that the PBA is allowing some level of physicality but if it gets to a point where players intentionally hurt each other, we should all question that,” thought Racela as 71 fouls were assessed in the contest. “I think there were some unnecessary actions in some possessions that I think the commissioner has to look at so we and the fans will be able to enjoy the game more.”
Globalport could only cut the lead to as low as 10 points the rest of the way.
Anthony, who had 32 points by the third frame, only scored two markers in the final quarter. He grabbed 10 rebounds as well.
TNT will next face the Phoenix Fuel Masters on Saturday, April 28 at the Ynares Center in Antipolo. Globalport, on the other hand, looks to bounce back when it takes on the Meralco Bolts on Friday, April 27 at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
The Scores:
TNT 128 – Castro 21, Pogoy 20, Cruz 16, Tyler 14, Reyes 13, Romeo 11, Trollano 11, Rosario 8, Paredes 5, Golla 3, Carey 3, Saitanan 3, Garcia 0.
Globalport 114 – Anthony 34, White 27, Pringle 14, Elorde 10, Tautuaa 10, Nabong 9, Grey 8, Juico 2, Teng 0, Arana 0, Viernes 0, Guinto 0, Gabayni 0, Sargent 0.
Quarterscores: 34-15, 58-49, 83-81, 128-114.
