MANILA, Philippines – The TNT Tropang Giga and the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters opened their respective PBA Governors’ Cup campaigns on a excessive observe as they picked up contrasting victories on the Araneta Coliseum on Tuesday, August 20.
TNT tremendous import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson crammed up the stat sheet for the undermanned Tropang Giga as they gutted out a decent 101-95 win in opposition to the NorthPort Batang Pier in Group A motion.
Hollis-Jefferson dropped 32 factors, 10 rebounds, 5 assists, 4 steals, and 4 blocks for TNT, which performed minus injured gamers Roger Pogoy, Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser, Henry Galinato, Kelly Williams, and Ryan Reyes.
“We knew we had been going to have a troublesome time. We mentally ready ourselves for it,” stated TNT head coach Chot Reyes.
“We have now plenty of guys on the injured listing, we don’t have the depth we usually have.”
Calvin Oftana helped Hollis-Jefferson carry the scoring load with 15 factors, highlighted by a 2-of-2 clip from the brand new four-point line, whereas newly-acquired guard Rey Nambatac chipped in 13 factors in his Tropang Giga debut.
With TNT threatening to tug away with a 99-91 lead off a two-handed slam by Hollis-Jefferson with 32.6 seconds left, Arvin Tolentino countered with a booming four-point shot to chop the result in only a single possession, 99-95, with 24.6 seconds remaining.
NorthPort had one other likelihood to tie the sport with a four-point shot after Nambatac dedicated a expensive turnover off an inbounds play, however new Batang Pier guard Jio Jalalon was known as for a journey with simply 9.3 ticks to play.
Like Hollis-Jefferson, NorthPort reinforcement Taylor Jones was everywhere in the flooring for the Batang Pier as he produced game-highs of 36 factors and 16 rebounds, together with 9 assists.
Tolentino, a member of the PBA’s Season 48 First Legendary Crew, contributed 23 factors and eight rebounds for NorthPort within the loss.
In the meantime, Rain or Shine spoiled the debut of No. 2 general choose Sedrick Barefield because it blasted the Blackwater Bossing in Group B, 110-97.
In his first sport again within the league since suiting up for TNT within the 2021 Governors’ Cup, Aaron Fuller posted game-highs of 24 factors on a wholesome 9-of-11 area purpose clip and 19 rebounds in over 34 minutes.
Caelan Tiongson, the seventh choose within the latest PBA Draft, backed up Fuller with 15 factors on 5-of-10 taking pictures, whereas Leonard Santillian and one other Rain or Shine rookie Felix Lemetti added 12 and 11 markers, respectively, on a mixed 7-of-11 three-pointers.
“I used to be proud of the performances of our rookies,” stated Rain or Shine tactician Yeng Guiao. “Caelan performed effectively, Felix performed effectively.”
“Not less than in our first sport, every part appears to fall in place,” Guiao added.
After having fun with a nine-point benefit at halftime, 59-50, the Elasto Painters broke the sport wide-open within the third quarter and entered the ultimate body with their largest lead of the competition, 83-62, due to a triple by Lemetti.
Blackwater managed to tug inside 10 factors with underneath three minutes left to play, however Rain or Shine’s Anton Asistio crushed any hopes of a Bossing comeback as he unloaded 5 straight factors, together with a troublesome stepback trey with simply 1:30 to go.
The Filipino-American guard Barefield led the Bossing within the scoring column with 18 factors, however shot simply 8-of-20 from the sphere.
James Kwekuteye put up 17 factors on a near-perfect 5-of-6 taking pictures from deep, whereas import Ricky Ledo had a forgettable debut for Blackwater as he completed with solely 12 factors on an terrible 4-of-23 area purpose clip.
The Scores
First Sport
Rain or Shine 110 – Fuller 24, Tiongson 15, Santillan 12, Lemetti 11, Mamuyac 10, Asistio 9, Nocum 8, Clarito 8, Ildefonso 4, Villegas 4, Datu 3, Belga 2, Caracut 0, Norwood 0.
Blackwater 97 – Barefield 18, Kwekuteye 17, Guinto 15, Ledo 12, Rosario 10, David 7, Chua 6, Casio 5, Tungcab 3, Jopia 2, Suerte 2, Ponferada 0, Hill 0, Mitchell 0, Montalbo 0.
Quarters: 30-26, 59-50, 83-62, 110-97.
Second Sport
TNT 101 – Hollis-Jefferson 32, Oftana 15, Nambatac 13, Khobuntin 12, Heruela 9, Erram 8, Castro 7, Exciminiano 3, Aurin 2, Ebona 0, Vosotros 0, Payawal 0.
NorthPort 95 – Jones 36, Tolentino 23, Cuntapay 8, Munzon 7, Jalalon 6, Bulanadi 6, Navarro 4, Nelle 3, Flores 2, Yu 0, Tratter 0, Amores 0.
Quarters: 22-23, 50-48, 76-69, 101-95.
– Rappler.com
