Photo by Tristan Tamayo/INQUIRER.net
ANTIPOLO—It was supposed to be a virtual handicap match in favor of Meralco when TNT walked into Ynares Center Sunday without an import for the PBA Governors’ Cup.
The Bolts did have reigning two-time Best Import Allen Durham with them while the KaTropa had already sent their foreign reinforcement Mike Glover home after their first game on Friday.
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What eventually happened was the TNT locals delivering a clutch performance to fashion out the stunning win.
“I am a little embarrassed with the outcome, playing a team without an import, it’s a game we should’ve won,” said Meralco head coach Norman Black after the Bolts dropped a 92-90 decision. “Honestly, it’s a little embarrassing.”
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“That should’ve been an advantage, that should’ve been their problem, playing without an import and considering that we have the best import we should’ve beaten them,” added Black.
Meralco, which held an 85-82 lead in the final 2:38, witnessed TNT’s game-closing 8-0 run that saw a gutsy performance from Jayson Castro.
It was Castro who tied the game at 85 after he drilled a three-pointer from the left wing with 1:45 left in the game.
Castro was also the playmaker that led to Terrence Romeo’s dagger three from the right corner that gave TNT the 90-85 cushion with 18.2 seconds remaining.
“We just played terrible tonight, we weren’t decisive about anything that we did tonight, we were too hesitant on anything,” said Durham. “We were too soft, we got to get angry or mean or something you know.”
Durham, who put up a crazy 27-point, 22-rebound, 8-assist stat line, added he won’t even savor the individual performance he had.
“It’s frustrating, I had the numbers but I didn’t play my best game,” said Durham. “We had our chances, we had a chance to win, we were up in the last few minutes of the game and if you want to be a championship team you got to find a way that type of game.”