TNT returned the favor by crushing Titan Ultra, 114-80, to go above .500 again in the PBA Season 50 Governors’ Cup in Montalban, Saturday.
Still remembering the 103-87 defeat they suffered to the same team back in the first round last July 22, the defending champions rolled to a 34-21 lead after the first 12 minutes, and that was all they needed to set the tone for the rout.
They did face some resistance in the fourth when the 26-point spread got cut to 14, but the Giant Risers fell flat again, and the Tropang 5G cruised to the 34-point win to bounce back from their 88-83 loss to NLEX just last Tuesday.
They improved to 4-3 in the process, maintaining their third-place standing in Group A behind the Road Warriors (6-1) and San Miguel (5-2).
(C) PBA Images
“We made a concerted effort to focus on defense. Even when we lost to NLEX, I thought we played great, great defense; we just couldn’t put enough points on the board because we didn’t have Jordan and Roger,” Coach Chot Reyes said.
“Thankfully, tonight, we had both of them in … it was a big thing that we have an almost complete complement at our disposal today,” he added.
Jordan Heading led TNT with 23 points and five assists off the bench. Rahlir Hollis-Jefferson tallied another double-double of 19 points and 12 rebounds.
Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser came through with 19 points, nine of which he made in the opening period alone to spearhead the early breakaway. The athletic big man also finished with four rebounds and the same number of assists.
Rey Nambatac delivered 14 points, five rebounds, and eight assists, while Kim Aurin added 12 markers for the Tropa, who will look to get revenge against NLEX next Tuesday, August 11, at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
(C) PBA Images
Tirell Brown, on the other hand, led Titan Ultra with 14 points and 11 rebounds in the loss, which dropped the team dead last in the group with a 2-6 record.
Rookie Bryan Sajonia and Jerrick Balanza made 13 points apiece while Ato Ular added 10 markers for the Giant Risers, who got sent crashing back to earth after their 132-128 win against guest team Macau the last time out.
Titan Ultra will next face the Beermen on Wednesday, August 12, in Antipolo, taking on the very same team that gave them a 143-105 beating last July 29.
The Scores:
TNT 114 – Heading 23, Ganuelas-Rosser 19, Hollis-Jefferson 19, Nambatac 14, Aurin 12, Ferrer 9, Galkinato 4, Pogoy 4, Jalalon 2, Erram 2, Quitevis 2, Khobuntin 2.
Titan Ultra 80 – Brown 14, Balanza 13, Sajonia 13, Ular 10, Sumang 8, Munzon 7, Caralipio 6, Wong 4, Yu 3, Dionisio 2, Cuntapay 0, Javillonar 0, Amores 0, Pessumal 0.
Quarterscores: 34-21, 60-44, 82-60, 114-80.
