Donte Greene played his best game in a TNT uniform on Friday night — and at the expense of the previously-unbeaten San Miguel Beermen.
Ever since Greene made his TNT debut last March 31, his production has been on an upward curve, and he currently averages 26.6 points on 38.6 percent shooting to go along with 13.6 rebounds. But against the Beermen, he went toe-to-toe against opposing import Charles Rhodes.
Rhodes was able to score 43 points and grab eight rebounds in the game, but Greene was able to put up 41 points and 21 rebounds. More importantly, he was able to help lift TNT to a 112-103 victory.
“Keeps getting better huh? Game after game,” quipped the 29-year-old, who went 55.17 percent from the field — his conference-best.
“Just working man, coach called me out last game and told me I needed to be more consistent so I took that as a challenge and try to come out and be consistent each quarter, not just with my scoring but with my shooting. To make sure I shoot a decent amount of threes and also get to the cup too.”
“Of course, the contribution of Greene was phenomenal,” TNT head coach Nash Racela remarked about Greene’s performance.
“I think medyo na trash talk ata kaya ginanahan. May konti, pero that’s part of it.”
And the trash-talking Racela had mentioned about was between Greene and Rhodes. When things got heated in the final frame, the two bragged to each other after every bucket they made.
Just as his mentor said, it was just part of the game.
“Charles, I guess he feels like he’s a top dog out here. He plays on the best team so you know, he wants to talk his trash but I told him ‘I’m not the one.’
“I love it when guys get to talking and he wanted me to come play him, I came and played him, blocked his shot and he stopped talking after that. I think we both respect each other and he knows it’s all in the game,” the former Sacramento King shared.
But when he was notified about Rhodes’ comments that Greene was afraid to guard him, the 6-foot-11 big man said that he was just being smart, as he had already committed five fouls.
“No, I wasn’t scared to guard him,” said Greene, who had guys like Kelly Williams and Mo Tautuaa sharing defensive duties with him.
“He plays for San Miguel, so you know, he has the refs in his back pocket.
“There’s no point of trying to go man up with him. I guarded him when I needed to guard him. And I blocked his shot so he can have that, and think about that,” he added.
Just like Rhodes, Greene is hoping that he can face-off against Rhodes and the Beermen in the playoffs.
“Hopefully, we’ll see him in the playoffs,” Greene declared.
