The TNT KaTropa dominated the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel in Game Two of their 2019 PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinal series, 88-71, and are now on the cusp of the championship round, Sunday evening at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
The Texters unfurled an 8-2 scoring blitz to build a wide 59-44 lead with 7:23 remaining in the third chapter. Ginebra knocked to within eight just later but TNT recovered quickly, 63-53, and they would never look back since then.
Main man Jayson Castro had 20 points, five assists, four rebounds, and a steal to lead the KaTropa’s well-deployed attack. Roger Pogoy chimed in 18 points — which all came from beyond the arc — as Troy Rosario had 16 markers.
Import Terrence Jones posted his fourth triple-double this conference — the most since Alaska Aces’ Galen Young in the 2004 Fiesta Conference — as he finished with 15 points, 18 rebounds, and 10 assists in 47 minutes of play.
Brian Heruela came off the bench and played solidly for TNT, finishing with 11 points, five boards, and two dimes.
TNT displayed a balanced attack in the win but it was their defense that also did wonders, limiting Ginebra to just 5-of-23 shooting from deep. They also limited Stanley Pringle to only two points after having 18 in Game One.
“We’re just lucky they had a bad day,” said TNT head coach Bong Ravena.
Justin Brownlee paced the Barangay with 25 points and 13 rebounds in a game which he had no assist. Japeth Aguilar had 14 points and five rebounds, while Scottie Thompson and LA Tenorio chimed in 13 and 11, respectively.
“We played terrible, and they played great,” said Ginebra head coach Tim Cone, whose Gin Kings are now on the verge of having its reign end. “We’ll see what we can do. Back to the drawing board on Game Three.”
TNT can close the series out on Game Three this Tuesday, July 30, at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
The Scores:
TNT 88 – Castro 20, Pogoy 18, Rosario 16, Jones 15, Heruela 11, Trollano 5, Reyes 3, Taha 0, D. Semerad 0, Casino 0.
Ginebra 71 – Brownlee 25, Aguilar 14, Thompson 13, Tenorio 11, Slaughter 4, Pringle 2, Mariano 2, Devance 0, Chan 0, Caguioa 0, Teodoro 0.
Quarterscores: 21-21, 51-42, 68-55, 88-71.
