NLEX put an end to TNT’s impressive run to start the PBA Governors’ Cup and booked a playoff berth while doing so.
While teams continued to bolster their rosters in preparation for a playoff run, the Road Warriors clinched their spot in the next round with a decisive 126-113 victory over the KaTropa on Friday night at Araneta Coliseum in Cubao.
Import Manny Harris unloaded 20 of his 40 points in the third quarter to give NLEX control of a match against a squad that had looked peerless through its first seven games.
“There’s a reason TNT’s undefeated up to this point. We just made sure we were ready for them,” said NLEX coach Yeng Guiao, whose wards improved to 5-1.
The victory came on a day the league office approved a trade that sent Blackwater gunner Allein Maliksi and seldom-used big man Reymar Jose to Meralco in exchange for Mike Tolomia, KG Canaleta and a pair of second-round draft picks.
The swap comes on the heels of NorthPort acquiring San Miguel Beer big man Christian Standhardinger and TNT getting Elite sniper Mike DiGregorio.
Kiefer Ravena fired 16 points off the bench and to lead the NLEX locals in scoring. Jericho Cruz, Poy Erram, and JR Quiñahan all tossed in 10 or more.
The KaTropa were led by KJ McDaniels, who nearly had a triple-double in 42 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists.
Roger Pogoy added 35 points for TNT.
Columbian snapped its two-game slide at the expense of undermanned Phoenix Fuel, 106-104, earlier.
Import Khapri Alston had an all-around performance, firing 30 points and plucking 18 rebounds to go with four steals and three blocks.
CJ Perez and Rashawn McCarthy chipped in 25 and 16, while Jackson Corpuz 18 off the bench in the gritty stand that put the Dyip right in the middle of the draw with a 4-4 record.
“We talked about our problems, our issues. I told them that it’s all part of the game,” coach Johnedel Cardel told reporters after the game. “We had to challenge [ourselves]. The only way to [solve our problems] was to win this game.”