PBA: TNT punches ticket to semifinals, ousts NLEX

TNT Tropang Giga import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson during the PBA Governors’ Cup quarterfinals game against NLEX Road Warriors. –PBA IMAGES

TNT played splendid basketball right from the jump on Tuesday night to score a 125-96 victory over NLEX and secure its passage into the PBA Governors’ Cup semifinals.

The Tropang Giga rode the hot hands of import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Rey Nambatac while playing the topnotch defense they are known for to break Game 4 at Ninoy Aquino Stadium wide open early on.

“In this sport, it’s about playing defense, certainly but it’s also about putting the ball through the hoop. In the quarterfinals we’re finally hitting shots,” coach Chot Reyes said shortly after the triumph.

READ: PBA: Chot Reyes, TNT shrug off irregular format

Hollis-Jefferson had 35 points and 11 rebounds, while Nambatac added 19 to the scoring effort. TNT’s core of veterans also accounted for double-digit scores, squashing any chance of the Road Warriors sending the best-of-five series into a rubber match.

“Whoever we play is going to be a different team than NLEX, so it’s gonna be a test of our agility and adaptability,” said Reyes, whose crew await the winner of the Rain or Shine-Magnolia series that will be settled this Saturday.

Robert Bolick Jr. finished with 25 points, five rebounds and seven assists, while import DeQuan Jones added 21 more for NLEX.

Rookie Jonnel Policarpio tossed in 12 points as Jhan Nermal rounded out the Road Warriors’ twin-digit production with 10.