Efficient TNT puts foot in semis after rout of NLEX
Coach Chot Reyes handed out a simple instruction to his TNT Tropang Giga prior to facing NLEX in Game 3 of their PBA Governors’ Cup quarterfinal series.
“We’re not asking everyone to be Superman, but [for them to] just do [their] jobs,” Reyes said after the Tropang Giga’s 109-91 win on Sunday at newly refurbished Ynares Center in Antipolo City that put them on the cusp of reaching the semifinals of the season-opening conference.
Part of that order was to make sure TNT capitalizes on hitting the outside shots, which bruising role player Glenn Khobuntin heeded by going perfect in five attempts from the three-point arc.
TNT knocked down 10 more shots from afar, with nine combined triples coming from Calvin Oftana, RR Pogoy, Rey Nambatac and import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, with Nambatac canning the lone four-point shot attempted by TNT, which took a 2-1 lead.
The Tropang Giga, who have shown the least interest in the four-point shot, can wrap up the series with a win in Game 4 on Tuesday at Ninoy Aquino Stadium. If the Road Warriors prevail, the decider will be played on Saturday back in Antipolo.
One aspect Reyes wants to improve on is their consistency from the free-throw line, which contributed to TNT’s defeat in Game 2 in Sta. Rosa, Laguna last Friday.
Improved FT shooting
In that contest, Hollis-Jefferson was fouled while going for a desperate four-pointer, making the first two charities, before missing the third and deliberately bungling the final try, the latter resulting in a free throw violation.
TNT was 27-of-42 from the 15-foot line in that contest, but improved to 20-of-29 in Antipolo.
“That’s just what we want, which is everyone doing their jobs, playing their roles and taking advantage of the gifts that are being given to us,” Reyes said.
Hollis-Jefferson had 27 points, 12 rebounds and eight assists to power TNT. Oftana got a starting role in his third game since needing 30 stitches to cover his busted lip and scored 18, while Nambatac and Khobuntin added 17 apiece.
Not just the offense, TNT held NLEX import DeQuan Jones to 16 points on 7-of-16 shooting, his lowest scoring output since landing in the country to replace Myke Henry.
Jones averaged 40 points in the three group stage matches he appeared in and had back-to-back 38-point efforts in the first two games of the playoffs.
Reyes lauded his wards for doing a lot of damage defensively.
“To win by a big margin, it has to be a combination of good defense with good offense,” he said. “Tonight, we were able to get both.”
Meanwhile, Rain or Shine and Magnolia were breaking their 1-1 tie in the nightcap, with the Elasto Painters playing import Aaron Fuller despite an eye injury suffered from a poke from Ian Sangalang in the first quarter of Game 2.
Coach Yeng Guiao earlier said he felt Sangalang’s act was “deliberate.”
