ANTIPOLO — Import Terrence Jones took matters into his own hands, scoring 19 points all in the second quarter to help TNT roll past NLEX, 102-87, for their first win in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Wednesday night at Ynares Center here.
The KaTropa held the Road Warriors to 16 points as the American big man scored in bunches in that period, finishing with 41 points and 14 rebounds, both team-bests.
“We just hoped for our import to adjust immediately. I’m glad that he delivered,” coach Bong Ravena said. “Hopefully in the next games, he gets adjusted even more.”
“On both ends of the floor, he’s there. We hope he sustains he as the series goes on as winning games early is important,” he added. “Anthony Semerad and Kelly Williams tossed in 11 and 10 points respectively to keep TNT squarely on the driver seat as the game plodded along.
NLEX turned to the front court tandem of import Curtis Washington and Poy Erram in a bid to narrow the gap in the second half, but all of their efforts went for naught as Jones played with sustained brilliance in the final two frames.
Washington scored 18 to lead the Road Warriors, as Erram and Kenneth Ighalo added 14 more. Juami Tiongson rounded out the double-digit performers with 10 points.
Ravena, though, hopes that his reinforcement improves on the defensive end.
“We couldn’t ask for more as far as offense goes,” he said. “But we’re always going to turn to our defense—especially against bigger teams like San Miguel and Ginebra. Also the rest of the teams. You can’t just write them off.”
TNT shoots for a second straight win when it goes against the 1-1 Alaska this Saturday.
NLEX, on the other hand, hopes to chalk up its first victory also on Saturday when it locks horns with 1-0 NorthPort, which is set to unveil a fully-recovered Stanley Pringle.