BY REYNALD MAGALLON
Back to its usual stomping grounds, the TNT Tropang Giga wasted no time flexing their might.
Displaying their vaunted firepower, the Tropang Giga blasted NorthPort, 134-110, to strengthen their hold of the top spot in the penultimate day of elimination schedule in the 2023 PBA Governors’ Cup at the PhilSports Arena on Wednesday, March 15.
The Tropang Giga actually bucked an opening quarter hiccup before turning in what would become a massive explosion in the middle quarters to rip the game apart and improve their record to a league-best 9-1 slate while also dashing all of the Batang Pier playoff hopes.
TNT actually trailed by as many as 12 points in the opening frame – a sluggish start that brought back the memories of its horrendous stint in the EASL Champions Week.
The Tropang Giga then slowly found their groove especially on the offensive end with import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and RR Pogoy igniting a blistering second quarter performance where they exploded for 47 points while limiting NorthPort to measly 16 points.
And if that was not enough, TNT continued to pounce on the hapless NorthPort dropping another 43-point quarter to build a lead that went to as high as 44 points, 97-53 late in the third period.
Hollis-Jefferson exploded 27 of his 31 points in the second and third quarter which also came with 11 rebound and four steals while Pogoy who unloaded 14 in the huge second quarter turnaround for TNT went on to finish with 22 built on six triples.
“I thought when we played the first quarter we were kinda rusty and I kind of expected that so I wasn’t really surprised but the guys picked it up. Yung second quarter namin actually bumalik and then yung shooting namin pumapasok na. From there I didn’t even realize that we scored 47 in the second quarter because we were just in a groove,” said TNT head coach Jojo Lastimosa.
Calvin Oftana added 16 points while Kelly Williams contributed 12 in the big win that gave TNT a huge momentum heading into its marquee duel against defending champion Barangay Ginebra in the final day of eliminations.
Kevin Murphy paced NorthPort with 35 points and 10 rebounds while Arvin Tolentino added 19. Paul Zamar and Robert Bolick added 15 and 14 points respectively – all of which went down the drain as the Batang Pier missed on the chance to tie idle Phoenix at the eighth spot and force a do-or-die match.
NorthPort wrapped up the season with a 3-8 record allowing Phoenix to catch the last bus to the playoff with a 4-7 slate at the eighth spot.
