JUST when Terrafirma was in desperate search for a spark after a flat start in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Philippine Cup, Juami Tiongson readily stepped up and took matters into his own hands in leading the Dyip’s rejuvenated drive in the Bacolor bubble.
Tiongson put on a string of career-best performances in the league return from a month-long hiatus and helped the Dyip turn their fortunes around with three straight victories, including gigantic upsets over former five-time titlist San Miguel Beer (SMB) and reigning champion Barangay Ginebra.
In the three Terrafirma wins, the 5-foot-10 guard averaged 23.0 points spiked by 15 triples behind a high 50 percent clip, along with 5.3 assists, 3.0. rebounds, and 2.0 steals, to earn himself the Cignal Play-PBA Press Corps Player of the Week for the period September 1 to 5.
With prized rookie Joshua Munzon out for the conference due to a dislocated finger, the no-fear Tiongson took over and hit a career-high 28 points and seven assists in the team’s 114-110 overtime escape act against SMB.
Tiongson won’t cool down two days later as he reset his career-best at 31 points he spiked with nine triples, six assists and three steals as the Dyip caught another giant in the defending champion Kings, 95-90.
He was then limited to a 10-3-3- outing the next game, but still enough for Terrafirma to pull off a 96-84 comeback win over Blackwater for its third straight victory and improve to 3-4 (won-lost) overall for solo seventh place.
But Tiongson refused to take all the credit, deflecting everything to coach Johnedel Cardel and his teammates for giving him the greenlight to let it fly.
“Coach John and the coaching staff put in new plays to help the shooters get free. He just let me play. He lets me make mistakes and be creative,” he said. “I just had to do what we had to do. It would not be possible without them [coaches and my teammates].”
KATROPA EYES WIN NO. 7
TNT KaTropa, meanwhile, shoots for its seventh consecutive win on Wednesday while NorthPort will finally play this week with team manager Bonnie Tan temporarily coaching the Batang Pier at the Don Honorio Ventura State University Gym in Bacolor, Pampanga.
Tropang Giga coach Chot Reyes admitted to BusinessMirror that it would be tough when they face powerhouse San Miguel Beer at 3 p.m. because of injuries to key players Kelly Williams (ankle sprain) and Glenn Khobuntin (groin).
“It’s going to be a tough stretch especially with the injuries of Kelly Williams and Glenn Khobuntin in the last game. It’s a game time decision, so we just hope for the best,” said Reyes, who downplayed his first-ever 6-0 start. “We are a work in progress and we are not thinking of the record or anything else.”
His veteran playmaker Jayson Castro agreed.
“We really need to keep our focus one game at a time. San Miguel Beer remains to be a powerhouse, and a tough competitor. We have to double our effort,” Castro said, adding that they have to be careful of their surroundings too because of Covid-19 threat.
Castro is averaging 13 points and 3.50 rebounds in the last six games—including their latest wins in the league’s restart since September 2 against Blackwater (96-76), Meralco (91-76) and last Sunday over Magnolia (83-76).
TNT is already assured of at least a quarterfinal berth.
San Miguel Beer coach Leo Austria, whose team is coming off an overtime loss to Terrafirma (110-104), welcomed the challenge.
“It’s a wake-up call after that loss to Terrafirma,” Austria said. “TNT will be a tough test, we are up against a very cohesive team, and well-prepared team. I just reminded the players that TNT is capable of beating anybody. We need to step up.”
The Beermen are sporting a 3-2 win-loss record.
Interestingly, San Miguel Beer and TNT are both staying at the Quest Hotel in Clark, Pampanga.
Magnolia (5-2) is hoping to bounce back when it battles red-hot Northern Luzon Expressway (4-2) at 12:30 p.m., while Rain or Shine (4-3) aims to recover from last week’s defeat to Phoenix Super LPG (77-78) when it meets Barangay Ginebra San Miguel (2-3) at 6 p.m.
Meanwhile, Northport, which did not play a single game last week due to health and safety protocols, will be playing this week with a different set-up.
BusinessMirrror learned that Tan will be coaching the team because of the unavailability of the coaching staff headed by Pido Jarencio. The Batang Pier will play Blackwater on Thursday, Terrafirma on Saturday and NLEX on Sunday.
Jarencio refused to comment on his absence. Alaska and Meralco will not be playing also for this week because of the same health and safety reasons.