The TNT KaTropa seemed to have been doomed already with literally just minutes into Game Three of their 2019 PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals clash with long-time rivals San Miguel Beermen, Friday evening.
With 5:51 remaining in the opening frame, import Terrence Jones got slapped with a flagrant foul penalty one after headbutting Chris Ross. That forced the 6-foot-9 forward to sit on the bench for three minutes.
Jones on the bench allowed the Beermen to pull away, unloading a 24-6 blitz — punctuated by Terrence Romeo’s stepback three-pointer — to turn a slim one-point deficit to a wide 36-19 advantage early in the second frame.
But for Jayson Castro, the KaTropa had all the confidence on Jones that he can just brush it off, as they know that the former NBA cager can still carry himself to the best he can once he gets back from being temporarily benched.
“Alam naman namin kaya niyang dalhin yung sarili niya sa court,” he said. “Siyempre Finals naman ‘to, lahat ng emotion nandun na. Both teams gustong manalo.
“So siguro natural lang yun para sa player maglabas ng emotion.”
Jones did.
From the deep 17-point hole, Jones spearheaded TNT’s 24-0 assault en route to a 43-36 lead. The Texters would then find their groove on in the match, and it eventually led to a 115-105 victory that gave them a 2-1 lead in the series.
Per the league’s stats chief Fidel Mangonon III, that run is the second all-time longest unanswered run since Barangay Ginebra’s 31-0 run in the fourth quarter of Game Five of their 1991 First Conference title series versus Shell.
“I think it was a culmination of things. Our defense found a rhythm and we found a comfort level out there with how they’re trying to play, and then offensively we started to make shots,” said TNT consultant Mark Dickel of that explosion.
“Anytime we can combine making shots with playing good games, we tend to go on runs. And we get stops, then we could push the ball. I think it was a combination of those things,” furthered the veteran Kiwi tactician.
Jones ended up with 37 points, 18 rebounds, nine assists, and five steals in over 44 minutes of play. And Dickel is glad that the 27-year-old American kept his composure the match since that headbutt on Ross.
“I thought he’s shown a lot of patience, a lot of maturity just being able to play through the game and not reacting to any of that.”
