The TNT KaTropa managed to do well, even if head coach Nash Racela has been put on leave, as they overcame a gutsy Columbian Dyip in overtime, 118-114, to end their three-game slide, Sunday at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
The Texters improved their card to 2-4, while the Dyip remain at the bottom of the 2018 Governors’ Cup standings with a 0-5 record.
“Itong game, thankful ako sa management, lalo kay boss Virgil [Villavicencio]. Thankful ako sa kanilang lahat,” said a Eric Gonzales, who might be the KaTropa’s interim head coach, as Racela’s return has yet to be clarified.
“Nagulat ako sa nangyari. Very fast yung nangyari. Last night magkasama kami ni coach Nash, ‘di namin alam… I dedicate this game to him,” he added. “Marami lang dapat trabahuhin. ‘Di pwedeng sabihin na Columbian lang yan.”
After being silent during their losing stretch, Jason Castro fired 25 points, seven assists, and six rebounds to pace the KaTrola. Backcourt partner Terrence Romeo was in his element as well with 22 points and six dimes.
TNT already had a comfortable 11-point lead with 10:53 to go in the fourth quarter, but Columbian suddenly turned the tables with a 15-0 scoring blitz – capped by Rashawn McCarthy’s freebies – to take a 93-89 lead with 6:41 left.
The Texters were able to climb back and post a 107-103 lead with 1:05 on the clock. But the Dyip were too tough to crack, scoring back-to-back lay-ups to tie the game at 107-all with just 10.9 seconds remaining.
Romeo tried to win it for TNT, but his lay-up at the buzzer missed.
Columbian gave themselves a chance in OT as they were able to tie things up again at 112-all with 2:38 left, but Castro broke it with a booming trey 17 seconds later. A Romeo lay-up with less than a minute left sealed the deal.
Roger Pogoy made a huge imprint in tge victory with 16 points, 12 rebounds, four assists, and four steals. Tony Semerad provided 15 markers and five rebounds.
Import Stacy Davis underperformed for TNT as he only had 11 points, four rebounds, and three assists. The Pepperdine product was ineffective in the game, and went unused by the coaches in the overtime period.
“We’re gonna change him,” said Gonzales.
Jerramy King led Columbian with 26 points and nine rebounds. Akeem Wright nearly had a triple-double of 24 points, nine rebounds, and nine assists with two blocks, while Russel Escoto provided 15 markers and 10 caroms.
Rashawn McCarthy, who had numerous spats with Romeo late in the game – he was even screamed at by Romeo after his game-sealing lay-up – produced 18 points, five rebounds, and three assists for the Dyip.
TNT will next face the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters on September 22, Saturday, at Iloilo City, while Columbian will battle yet another powerhouse squad in the San Miguel Beermen on September 21, Friday, still at the Big Dome.
The Scores
TNT 118 – Castro 25, Romeo 22, Pogoy 16, Semerad 15, Davis 11, Garcia 9, Rosario 7, Williams 4, Trollano 3, Cruz 2, Paredes 2, Carey 2, Golla 0, Reyes 0.
Columbian 114 – King 26, Wright 24, McCarthy 18, Escoto 15, Camson 6, Lastimosa 6, Ababou 5, Khobuntin 4, Gabriel 4, Cabrera 3, Reyes 2, Sara 1, Cahilig 0.
Quarterscores: 40-26, 61-48, 84-77, 107-107, 118-114.
