MANILA, Philippines — TNT was quick to pounce on Terrafirma’s dire situation minus three key players and steamrolled to a 133-93 romp in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup yesterday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Dyip held out as long as they could with ace gunner Juami Tiongson (flu), import Thomas De Thaey (groin) and promising rookie Kemark Carino (flu) out of commission.
But come the third period, the Tropang Giga switched gears and imposed their will on the outnumbered and outgunned Dyip.
It was a one-way street from there and the Tropang Giga went on to post their largest winning margin in franchise history. Previous one was a 38-pointer in a 127-89 rout of Blackwater in the 2019 Philippine Cup.
TNT, which itself is dealing with injuries to the likes of RR Pogoy, Poy Erram and Kib Montalbo plus the absence of Mikey Williams, is now on a two-game streak after dropping its season opener.
“They didn’t have their two primary players (Tiongson and De Thaey). From experience, we knew that a team like that usually stays with you for the first two quarters. So at halftime, we talked about being patient then we got our groove,” said coach Jojo Lastimosa, whose team did it by committing only five turnovers all game.
Kelly Williams started the second-half bombardment with three booming triples as he dropped 11 in the third. The veteran big joined forces with Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Calvin Oftana in a massive 41-16 salvo to rip the game apart.
Hollis-Jefferson logged 37 markers before leaving the match for good in the third period. Oftana, Jayson Castro and rookie Henry Galinato shot 15 apiece while Kelly Williams carded 13.
Javi Gomez de Liano (16), Isaac Go (14) and Stephen Holt (13) paced the Dyip, who saw their two-game roll snapped and slid to 2-2.
“Without their import and Tiongson, we were able to key in (defensively) on Holt, De Liano and Go,” said Lastimosa.