MARLO CUETIO/INQUIRER.ne
TNT found itself on the nasty end of a sound beating from Barangay Ginebra on Sunday night that it wiped whatever cushion—psychological or on the literal scoreboard—the defending champion had after dominating defensively in the first two games of the PBA Governors’ Cup championship series.
Coach Chot Reyes was so awestruck following the 106-92 Game 4 loss that all he could do was tip his hat to his tormentors, especially Stephen Holt and Maverick Ahanmisi.
“They were playing great,” he said. “Holt, man. He’s defending Rondae (Hollis-Jefferson) the whole game and he was still scoring. And Mav [as well].
“We know (Justin) Brownlee, Scottie (Thompson) and Japeth (Aguilar). Those are given. But the games of those two guys? They were really giving us a lot of problems … Unbelievable. My hats are off.”
Holt had 18 points, three rebounds and two assists in the crowd darlings’ masterful triumph carved out before 16,783 fans at Smart Araneta Coliseum. Ahanmisi was just as spectacular, finishing with as many points, his late quad shot with 2:32 remaining proving to be the gut punch the Gin Kings needed to secure the series equalizer.
The pair greased Ginebra’s path past the century mark that night, which all the more impressed Reyes, whose squad had made a killing early into the showdown by playing sensational defense.
“They’re really finding their groove,” he said of the Kings. “They’ve been able to make great reads [while executing their offense well]. So it’s incumbent upon us to be able to play better defense.”
As Reyes lauded the extra contributions from within Ginebra’s roster, he rued the shortage on his side, pleading for his bench to “step up” its game.
Lacking touches
Outside the ever-reliable Hollis-Jefferson who finished with 28 points and nine rebounds on his coronation night as Best Import, it was only Calvin Oftana and Rey Nambatac who made their presence felt for the telco club.
Oftana had 26 points to finally get out of a series slump, but rued not getting enough touches in the second half. Nambatac, meanwhile, added 15 more. But against an enemy which was clicking on all cylinders, the Tropang Giga hardly stood a chance.
“I hardly had touches in the second half,” the young TNT star said in a separate chat. “Just to be honest, I’m frustrated. I couldn’t get the basketball at a time when I had a good feel for the game.
“As a player, you really know when you’re hot. But that’s basketball, for you. The ball won’t go around just for me as I have teammates as well,” he went on.
Reyes and Oftana swiftly put the loss behind them. And understandably so, as the series has pretty much become a race-to-two.
“We’re now 0-0 in a best-of-three,” the seasoned mentor said. “They now have the momentum. It was the same thing with us when we had momentum after the first two games. Now it’s shifted. That’s the Finals for you.
“That’s basketball, our sport. A seven-game series between two very good teams? The momentum can really [go either way].” INQ