Tropang Giga thump struggling Dyip for share for Group A lead

MANILA, Philippines -- The TNT Tropang Giga sent the Terrafirma Dyip to their fifth straight loss in the PBA Governors’ Cup, 107-89, to grab a share of the Group A lead in the PBA Governors' Cup Thursday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium in Manila.

TNT erupted in the final quarter, led by import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, who had 26 points, 11 rebounds and seven assists despite battling an ankle injury.

RR Pogoy and Poy Erram backstopped with 14 markers apiece.

After trailing by 14, 83-69, within the first two minutes and 14 seconds of the fourth quarter, Terrafirma slowly clawed out of the hole and cut the lead to five, 80-85, following a pair of free throws by Antonio Hester.

But the Tropang Giga took the driver's seat and drifted off to the sunset with a backbreaking 10-0 run capped by a 3-pointer by Kim Aurin to take a 95-80 lead with 3:48 remaining.

Paolo Hernandez answered back with a triple of his own, but a short 5-0 burst by TNT off a Rey Nambatac trey and an Aurin deuce pushed the lead to 17 anew.

Christian Standhardinger and Hernandez tried to will Terrafirma back into it as they clipped the deficit to 11, 89-100. But a 3-pointer by Aurin and a 4-pointer by Ping Excimiano slammed the door shut.

After the game, Hollis-Jefferson said that he got through the contest despite nursing ankle with “willpower and resiliency”.

“They told me nothing was broken or anything like that, so I played through pain my entire life, so strap them up and let’s go,” Hollis-Jefferson said.

Despite a hot shooting evening, TNT could not leave Terrafirma completely in the rear-view mirror through three quarters.

However, the Tropang Giga turned a 65-63 lead into a 76-67 advantage with about a minute to go in the third frame, which was broken by a late free throw by Kevin Ferrer.

Aurin added 13 for TNT, while Nambatac and Jayson Castro had 10 apiece.

Antonio Hester carried the load for Terrafirma with 23 points and 18 rebounds. Standhardinger backstopped with 18 markers and 14 boards, while Hernandez and Ferrer had 13 each.

TNT went up to 4-1 in the import-laden conference at the end of the first round of eliminations. Terrafirma dropped to 0-5.