By Jonas Terrado
Game Monday
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
7 p.m. — NorthPort vs Ginebra
(NorthPort leads series 1-0)
Game Tuesday
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
7 p.m. — Meralco vs TNT KaTropa
(TNT leads series 1-0)
TNT KaTropa broke loose in the third quarter to defeat Meralco 103-94 Sunday and gain a 1-0 lead in their best-of-five PBA Governors’ Cup semifinal series at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Import KJ McDaniels, Jayson Castro and Roger Pogoy combined for 28 of the 30 points the KaTropa scored in the third to dominate the Bolts side that had support to reinforcement Allen Durham from the get-go.
TNT’s KJ McDaniels celebrates after his slam against Meralco’s Allen Durham in the PBA Governors’ Cup Semifinals game 1 at Smart Araneta Coliseum, December 15, 2019 (Rio Deluvio)
McDaniels finished with 38 points and 14 rebounds, Pogoy scored 14 points despite suffering a back injury during the quarterfinal win over Magnolia while Castro added 17 points, eight rebounds, seven assists and four steals.
While the result was pleasant to the eyes, coach Bong Ravena said there’s no reason for TNT to feel comfortable.
“I’m glad we won the first game but to celebrate,” said Ravena, pointing out one major problem TNT must address before Tuesday’s Game 2 at the same venue.
“We have to find ways to stop Durham,” he added.
Durham produced 32 points and 21 rebounds, numbers that usually result in a Bolts victory.
But Durham got little support from the locals, with Allein Maliksi scoring 15 and Chris Newsome 14.
Half of Maliksi’s points came in the fourth when the Bolts tried to erase the KaTropa’s 87-65 lead early in the period.
Newsome started out strong with 12 in the opening period but made two the rest of the way before fouling out.
TNT led 47-41 at halftime before the McDaniels and Castro combined for 18 during a stretch where Meralco was outscored 22-13 for a 69-54 lead.
Pogoy wound up hitting two threes before the quarter ended with the KaTropa ahead 77-61.
The scores:
TNT KATROPA 103 — McDaniels 38, Pogoy 18, Castro 17, Parks 11, Rosario 11, Digregorio 8, De Leon 0, Reyes 0, Williams 0, Vosotros 0, Taha 0.
MERALCO 94 — Durham 32, Maliksi 15, Newsome 14, Caram 9, Amer 9, Hodge 5, Quinto 3, Jackson 3, Almazan 2, Faundo 2, Pinto 0.
Quarters: 22-25; 47-41; 77-61; 103-94.
Source: Manila Bulletin
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