DESPITE losing Roger Pogoy in the series, TNT Tropang Giga bounced back huge with a 116-104 win over Barangay Ginebra San Miguel to tie the series at 2-2 in Game 4 of their best-of-seven championships series of the Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup on Sunday.
Import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, who won the Best Import award, opened the first quarter firing away 11 of his 36 points before making 15 points in the third period along with 10 rebounds, five assists, and three steals.
It was a collective effort by the Tropang Giga in the whole game — watched by 16, 203 spectators at the Araneta Coliseum — particularly in the second frame, where it outscored the Gin Kings, 30-18, to sit on a comfortable 48-25 advantage before the halftime break.
TNT maintained its double-digit lead in the second half and Ginebra couldn’t put it down to a single digit the rest of the way.
“I think what we did was we went back to what we do best — and that’s executing proper spacing to allow our shooters to get their shots,” TNT coach Jojo Lastimosa said, who now lost Pogoy in the series because of a fractured right pinky.
They also lost big man Justin Chua in the series due to an anterior crucial ligament (ACL) injury.
Besides the superb effort of Hollis-Jefferson, the Tropang Giga got massive points contributions from Kib Montalbo (16), Jayson Castro (17), Mikey Williams (16), Glenn Khabunting (8) and Calvin Oftana (16) to force a virtual best-of-three series starting Wednesday at the same venue.
Justin Brownlee went into early foul trouble but still finished with 28 points. Christian Standhardinger, who won the Best Player of the Conference, posted 10 points and nine assists while Scottie Thompson made 22 points, nine rebounds, and six assists for the Gin Kings.
It was a crucial win for TNT, allowing them to rebound from a frustrating 103-117 beating in Game 3 to equalize the series despite playing without Pogoy, who is averaging 12 points and five rebounds in the Finals last three games.
TNT’s three-point shooting also went well as it registered an all-time record of 21 threes — tied for ninth all-time most for any game — while Ginebra drained 15 triples.
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