TNT continued its hot streak in the PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup by adding to NLEX’s woes, 94-87, Wednesday night at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
The Tropang Giga wiped out a nine-point third-quarter deficit by a huge reversal in the final period on the way to notching their fifth consecutive victory, which has now become the longest active winning streak in this conference.
By improving to 5-2, the reigning two-time Governors’ Cup champions have risen to no. 2 in the standings percentage-wise, dislodging Converge (7-3).
“We had no illusions that this would be an easy game,” head coach Chot Reyes offered post-game. “We knew this was going to be a hard game because NLEX is basically fighting for survival so we anticipated it.”
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson spearheaded TNT anew with 23 points, 14 rebounds, and seven assists, adding three blocks as well as he overcame a horrid shooting night that saw him make just seven of the 25 shots he took.
Roger Pogoy shot 7-of-15 from the floor and finished with 18 points while Calvin Oftana nearly tallied a double-double with 14 points and eight rebounds.
It was Pogoy who set the tone for that fourth-quarter turnaround, nailing five straight points to give themselves the 70-68 edge with 9:33 to go.
Then came Rey Nambatac and Kim Aurin, drilling a triple each before a split by RHJ pushed their lead to 77-70 with less than eight minutes remaining.
TNT would be ahead the rest of the way, with Khobuntin and then Oftana converting back-to-back and-one plays to make it a double-digit spread, 87-76, with 4:12 left to play that left the Road Warriors a frustrated bunch — again.
Reyes, though, was far from pleased with how they shot as a whole — they only went 37.9-percent from the field — and so he hopes that his wards would do better come Friday’s game against Ginebra at the Philsports Arena.
It would be a rematch of the last two Governors’ Cup Finals although the difference now is they will play a Kings side with Troy Rosario.
“It’s going to be very different, that’s a much better and highly upgraded Ginebra team. But like I said, this team, we know how to put our heads down and grind it out and put in the work,” said the champion bench tactician.
NLEX, on the other hand, absorbed its fifth consecutive defeat for the second longest losing skid in the tilt just after Terrafirma (0-10).
Mike Watkins finished with 33 points and 20 rebounds while Kevin Alas made 16 as they were only the primary sources of the Road Warriors’ defense with Robert Bolick feeling under the weather, thus the lowly four-point output.
Coach Jong Uichico’s wards have fallen to 3-6 with the loss, and are now at no. 11 in the standings behind another 3-6 team in Magnolia, who beat them 99-96, during their encounter last December 21 at the Philsports Arena.
Another tough test lies ahead for the free-falling NLEX as it takes on Phoenix this Sunday at the Ynares Center in Antipolo, set at 7:30 p.m.
The Scores:
TNT 94 – Hollis-Jefferson 23, Pogoy 18, Oftana 14, Erram 8, Aurin 8, Castro 6, Razon 6, Nambatac 5, Galinato 2, K.Williams 2, Khobuntin 2, Heruela 0.
NLEX 87 – Watkins 33, Alas 16, Torres 7, Policarpio 6, Mocon 6, Herndon 6, Bolick 4, Valdez 4, Rodger 3, Ramirez 2, Fajardo 0, Nieto 0.
Quarterscores: 24-19, 39-39, 67-63, 94-87.
