Good news for TNT and bad news for its challengers: RR Pogoy and Jordan Heading are back in harness.
And with the two key players returning after sitting out the last couple of games due to MCL and shoulder injuries, the Tropang 5G flexed their muscles with a vengeful 114-80 disposal of Titan Ultra in the PBA Governors’ Cup last night at Ynares Center-Montalban.
‘It’s a big thing that we have an almost complete complement at our disposal today,’ said coach Chot Reyes, whose team has been dealing with player injuries since the start of the season-ending conference.
Heading quickly resumed his role as one of the top guns, hitting a game-high 23 spiked by four triples and complementing it with five assists as TNT exacted revenge on the team that gave them the blues in the first round, 87-103.
Pogoy, TNT’s premier two-way forward, only shot four markers but his leadership and strong presence helped a lot as the Tropang 5G got back on track after their 83-88 loss to NLEX.
The Tropang 5G also got a big lift from the strong performances of Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser, another recent returnee after a bout with ankle injury who banged in 19, Rahlir Hollis-Jefferson who had 19 and 12, and Rey Nambatac and Kim Aurin who added 14 and 12, respectively.
‘We really made a concerted effort to focus on defense. Even when we lost to NLEX, I thought we played great defense except we just couldn’t put points on the board because we didn’t have Jordan and Roger in that game. Thankfully, we had both of them in’ said Reyes.
This stifling defense choked Titan import Tirrell Brown to a meager 14 on a 6-of-13 field goal. He had 29 when the Giant Risers shocked the Tropang 5G last July 22.
Holding an improved 4-3 win-loss card, TNT strengthened its standing inside the Magic 4 of Group A at No. 3 ahead of closest pursuers Converge (3-4) and Terrafirma (3-4).
The Giant Risers slid to 2-6, finding themselves on the brink in the playoffs race.
Meanwhile, streaking Rain or Shine and Phoenix dispute the solo lead of Group B at 5-2 today at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
With NLEX’ unblemished streak after six games snapped, the Elasto Painters now hold the honors as the hottest team of the conference with a four-match roll, a trend they intend to maintain in the 5:15 p.m. tiff.