TNT clears path to semis
MANILA, Philippines — On point on both ends, TNT hit NLEX with the kill shot.
The defending champion Tropang Giga finished off the Road Warriors with a 125-96 Game 4 rout to clear their path to the PBA Governors’ Cup semifinals last night at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
The Tropang Giga rained five early triples on the equalizer-seeking Road Warriors to take command, 35-25, en route to wrapping up their 3-1 series triumph that secured their place in the best-of-seven Final Four.
The troops of coach Chot Reyes now await their next opponent with Rain or Shine and Magnolia locked in a 2-2 deadlock on their side of the quarterfinals.
The Hotshots forced the Elasto Painters to a sudden death Game 5 with a life-saving 129-100 tying blowout in the day’s curtain raiser.
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson punched in 35 points with 11 rebounds as TNT locals Rey Nambatac (19), RR Pogoy (18), Calvin Oftana (11) and Glenn Khobuntin (11) provided sufficient support to make this closeout mission a roaring success.
TNT shot a hot 57.5 percent on the floor (42 of 75) spiked by an astounding 78-percent clip from two-point territory (32 of 41) to get the edge against NLEX. Just like in their 109-91 disposal of the Road Warriors in the previous match, the Tropang Giga held their rivals to under 100 again.
Notes: The PBA sanctioned two referees involved in Monday’s Game 3 between San Miguel Beer and Converge. Referees Peter Balao and Joel Baldago were suspended for “one or two rotations” for the confusing flagrant foul called on Converge’s Alec Stockton for an elbow on SMB’s Kris Rosales. Stockton was initially charged an FF-Penalty 2 and automatically thrown out but later, it was downgraded to a lesser FF-Penalty 1. So after a three-minute sit-out, Stockton returned to action and eventually fired the winning jumper in the FiberXers’ 114-112 come-from-behind win.
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