By REYNALD MAGALLON
Jayson Castro is not too old to be a member of the Gilas Pilipinas, perhaps becoming the team’s 12th man for next year’s FIBA World Cup.
The 14-year veteran showed the young guns why he was hailed as one of the finest guards in the Asian region not too long ago by helping power TNT to an 87-74 win over Magnolia and into the PBA Philippine Cup Finals once again at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Sunday, Aug. 14.
Still quick and deadly at 36, Castro delivered a conference-best 26 points including a dagger triple as the Tropang Giga finished off the Hotshots in their highly-physical best-of-seven semis, 4-2.
Castro actually dropped 17 of his output in the second half as TNT bucked the ejection of Poy Erram after being assessed with a flagrant foul penalty 2 following an inadvertent elbow hit that left Ian Sangalang with a bloody forehead early in the final frame.
Glenn Khobuntin gave TNT a huge lift in the payoff period with 10 of his 14 points capped by a left corner trey that sealed the finals spot for TNT.
Mikey Williams had 15 points across his name although he shot 5-of-16 from the field.
Sangalang and Calvin Abueva paced the Hotshots with 16 points apiece although the latter was badly missed in the endgame after fouling out midway through the final frame.
It was also when Abueva got fouled out, TNT pulled away for good, riding on a 10-2 that gave them an 83-72 lead with less than two minutes left in the game.
Determined to defend their all-Filipino Cup crown, the Tropang Giga now awaits the winner of the other semifinals series between San Miguel and Meralco which went the distance with a do-or-die Game 7 on Wednesday.
Sunday also turned out be the night of MVP Group of Manny V. Pangilinan as Meralco beat top seed San Miguel Beer, 96-92, thanks to the heroics of Aaron Black.
The Beermen looked poised in completing their passage to the Finals after surviving numerous rallies from the Bolts and erecting a 10-point cushion, 90-80, with 4:23 left in the game.
Meralco, however, unleashed a desperation rally with Black, who has been struggling since Game 5 and in the first three quarters of Game 6, suddenly exploded and scored the Bolts’ last 11 points to stave off elimination and force a winner-take-all Game 7 on Wednesday still at the Big Dome.
Meralco head coach Norman Black who once upon a time, graced the PBA court and ended up being one of the greatest, is happy to see his son Aaron flourish well in the PBA.
“I’m proud of Aaron not just because of tonight but on where’s coming from as a basketball player. I think he improved a lot in the last couple of years and his career has been on an upward path here in the PBA. I’m happy that he took over the game today. He actually told me, give me the ball and set pick and rolls and get it done. He went out there and did it, so I’m really happy that he was able to back up what he was saying out there,” said the elder Black.
The scores:
First Game
MERALCO 96 – Newsome 19, Black 17, Hodge 17, Banchero 13, Almazan 11, Maliksi 7, Pascual 6, Quinto 6, Hugnatan 0, Pasaol 0, Jose 0.
SMB 92 – Fajardo 23, Manuel 16, Lassiter 14, Perez 13, Tautuaa 8, Cruz 8, Enciso 8, Brondial 2, Ross 0, Herndon 0.
Quarters: 33-22, 56-45, 74-71, 96-92.
Second Game
TNT 87 – Castro 26, M.Williams 15, Pogoy 14, Khobuntin 11, Erram 8, K.Williams 4, Rosario 4, Montalbo 2, Reyes 0, Marcelo 0, Ganuelas-Rosser 0.
MAGNOLIA 74 – Sangalang 16, Abueva 16, Jalalon 11, Lee 10, Dela Rosa 6, Laput 4, Wong 3, Barroca 3, Dionisio 2, Escoto 2, Corpuz 1, Brill 1, Reavis 0, Ahanmisi 0, Zaldivar 0.
Quarters: 21-17, 42-34, 60-55, 87-74.
