Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
ANTIPOLO—TNT didn’t need an import to escape Meralco, 92-90, in the PBA Governors’ Cup Sunday at Ynares Center in Antipolo.
The KaTropa, who sent home underforming import Mike Glover, improved to 1-1 after losing to NLEX in their first game, 103-90, while the Bolts dropped to 1-1.
Jayson Castro and Terrence Romeo connected in the game’s most crucial plays that allowed the KaTropa to take a massive sigh of relief after the earlier minutes of a tumultuous fourth quarter.
With Niño Canaleta guarding him on the right wing, Castro drove to the paint and kicked the ball to the open Romeo, who drilled a three that gave TNT a 90-85 lead with 18.2 seconds left to cap the KaTropa’s 8-0 run.
It was also Castro who tied the game at 85 with a 3-pointer from the left wing with 1:42 left to play.
TNT head coach Nash Racela said rebounding became their priority in the final two minutes after seeing Meralco import Allen Durham dominate the boards.
“Durham was really imposing himself in the fourth quarter and getting a lot off offensive rebounds so during the timeout what we talked about was end every defensive possession with a rebound,” said Racela. “And I think we did that in the last two possessions.”
Troy Rosario was able to take Chris Newsome’s miss and that defensive board that led to Castro’s game-tying three-point shot.
And Castro once again got himself involved, this time on the defensive end when he stole the ball from Durham with 43 seconds left before dishing it out to Romeo for the clutch triple.
Romeo finished with 23 points, eight rebounds, and 10 assists for TNT while Roger Pogoy had 19 points and five boards.
Castro had 16 points, five rebounds, and six assists to add to the KaTropa’s tally while Rosario pitched in 13 points.
Durham had another 20-20 mark of 27 points and 22 rebounds to go along eight assists for the Bolts.