TNT virtually secured the first ticket to the PBA Season 49 Governors’ Cup quarterfinals after downing Meralco once again, 108-99, to continue its winning ways as well on Thursday evening at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
Kelly Williams, Jayson Castro, and Calvin Oftana joined hands for the decisive 6-0 run toward a 106-97 lead with 50.5 seconds left, which was enough to finish it off after the Bolts got to within three multiple times late in the game.
The Tropang Giga would go on to notch their fourth consecutive win and take pole position of Group A with a 6-1 record, with their opponents dropping to 5-2. Both of their losses have come from their sister team.
“We knew that they were going to come back, we had no illusions that it was gonna be easy by any means,” said head coach Chot Reyes.
“So we just reminded everyone in the timeout, we said that ‘Okay, they’re making their run. Now let’s focus and just do what we need to get done.’ In the end, the players took it upon themselves to make the necessary stops.”
Oftana led the pack with 25 points on a 6-of-7 clip from deep, alongside seven rebounds and three assists to earn Player of the Game honors.
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson finished with 22 points, seven rebounds, and nine assists. Kim Aurin supplied 16 points, four rebounds, and four assists while Castro and Poy Erram added 12 and 11 points, respectively.
The win also served as a perfect gift for the returning Williams, who registered nine points and six rebounds in 15 minutes in his first game back.
“Very big,” Reyes said of Williams. “Any points that Kelly could score for us is really a bonus on top of what he gives us defensively and off the boards.”
Allen Durham, on the other hand, had 26 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists to lead the Bolts in the loss that snapped their four-game winning streak,
Chris Newsome had 23 points, Bong Quinto and CJ Cansino scored 12 points apiece while Chris Banchero added 10 in the defeat.
The Scores:
TNT 108 – Oftana 25, Hollis-Jefferson 22, Aurin 16, Castro 12, Erram 11, Pogoy 9. Williams 9, Nambatac 4, Heruela 0, Khobuntin 0.
Meralco 99 – Durham 26, Newsome 23, Quinto 12, Cansino 12, Banchero 10, Caram 8, Pasoal 4, Rios 4, Bates 0, Pascual 0, Mendoza 0, Jose 0.
Quarterscores: 32-20, 49-44, 78-67, 108-99.
