No Ray Parks, no problem.
The Tropang Giga star, still nursing an ailing leg, missed his second consecutive game but that didn’t stop TNT from posting an 88-67 rout of Barangay Ginebra on Friday, December 4, 2020 at the Angeles University Foundation Sports Arena & Cultural Center Powered by Smart 5G.
TNT thus cut the Ginebra advantage, in the best-of-seven Finals of the 2020 Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup, to 2-1.
LA Tenorio scored on a layup to cut the TNT lead to just 2 points, 56-54, with 2:52 to go in the third period. But TNT’s Jayson Castro, Jay Washington and Ryan Reyes each drilled a three-pointer to go with a free throw by Poy Erram against a field goal by Stanley Pringle to power TNT to a 10-point, 66-56 advantage after three quarters.
The Gin Kings never again came close after that as the Tropang Giga won the game pulling away in the fourth.
Three-pointers and defense won this game.
TNT scored 39 points (converting 13 of 43 triple attempts) from three pointers compared to just 18 points (6 of 18) by Ginebra. The Tropang Giga also forced Ginebra to commit 23 turnovers which were converted to 17 points.
TNT’s Troy Rosario – who ironically scored most of his points from inside the paint – was named the Player of the Game. Rosario finished with 15 points, 3 rebounds, 2 blocks and 1 steal.
Simon Enciso, firing away from the three-point line, drilled his second triple (after 6 attempts in the first half alone) to hike the TNT lead to 8 points, 42-34, with 13 seconds to go in the second quarter.
Tenorio then tried to set up the Ginebra’s final play of the half. Castro had other ideas and stole the ball just as Tenorio tried to cross the halfcourt mark.
With Tenorio begging the referee to call a foul, Castro scooted in for a layup to give TNT its biggest lead up to that point of 10 points as the Tropang Giga held a 44-34 advantage at halftime.
It was fitting payback for Castro. Earlier in the first quarter Tenorio pounced on a surprised Castro – who was trying to burn the clock to give TNT the last shot of the quarter – to steal the ball.
Tenorio then nonchalantly walked to the offensive end and – with Castro hanging back to prevent a drive – drilled a triple to push Ginebra ahead by 5 points, 26-21, after the first period.
TNT, behind its hot outside shooting and stalwart defense, erased that advantage and eventually went ahead at halftime.
The Scores:
TNT Tropang Giga 88 – Roger Pogoy 18, Troy Rosario 15, Jayson Castro 15, Simon Enciso 14, Poy Erram 12, Jay Washington 9, Ryan Reyes 5, Kib Montalbo 0, Dave Semerad 0, Samboy De Leon 0.
Barangay Ginebra 67 – LA Tenorio 19, Japeth Aguilar 15, Stanley Pringle 11, Scottie Thompson 8, Aljon Mariano 8, Art Dela Cruz 3, Jared Dillinger 2, Jeff Chan 1, Prince Caperal 0, Arvin Tolentino 0, Joe Devance 0, Jerrick Balanza 0.
Quarter Scores: 21-26, 44-34, 66-56, 88-67.
