As always, KaTropa head coach Jong Uichico downplayed TNT’s 136-124 victory over Phoenix in their quarterfinal tiff in the 2016 PBA Governors’ Cup Saturday evening in Antipolo City.
“We just moved to the next round, that’s what happened today,” he said after the game at Ynares Center in Antipolo.
But if you think the usual stoic Uichico isn’t thrilled with the win, think again.
Thanks largely to Jayson Castro’s early offensive outburst, the KaTropa established command in the high scoring affair as they ran the Fuel Masters to the ground to start the fourth frame.
Castro would finish the game with a career second-best 42 points, 40 of which already dropped in the first three quarters.
Uichico, though, was glad to notice the evolution of the former PCU guard from a mere slasher to one of the best Swiss army knives in the league.
“Jayson’s getting to be an all-around player already.
“Kay Jayson naman he’s not too concerned about his personal stats. Basta manalo yung team, masaya sya. Ang focus nya is to win the game and go to the next round,” the coach said.
Castro was nearly unstoppable in the game, going 14-of-26 from the field powered by five treys, on top of a 9-of-12 shooting from the charity stripe.
What’s more impressive is he did that all in just 27 minutes, and could have easily topped his career-high 44 points had Uichico allowed him to play the final six minutes of the game.
But if there’s one thing Uichico didn’t like in the duel, it’s that TNT allowed Phoenix to finish the game with 124 points, opting to go mano-a-mano with the Fuel Masters on the offensive end rather than going for defensive stops.
“We got to be able to defend,” he quipped, as Meralco awaits in the best-of-5 semifinals.
Game 1 is on Tuesday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
