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Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider Basketball devider TNT cruises past NLEX to clinch Final Four seat

TNT cruises past NLEX to clinch Final Four seat

Published Oct 1, 2024 02:26 pm

At A Glance

  • Defending champion TNT left nothing to chance and made sure to dispatch NLEX in a dominant fashion, 125-96, and punch its ticket to the semifinals in Game 4 of the PBA Season 49 Governors' Cup at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium on Tuesday, Oct. 1.

Defending champion TNT left nothing to chance and made sure to dispatch NLEX in a dominant fashion, 125-96, and punch its ticket to the semifinals in Game 4 of the PBA Season 49 Governors’ Cup at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium on Tuesday, Oct. 1.

PBA Images19 (16).jpg

Sensing blood in the water, the Tropang Giga displayed a sense of urgency and came out firing on all cylinders as they raced to a sizable margin through the first two quarters and never looked back from there to close out the best-of-five series, 3-1.

Import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, as usual, were all over the floor for TNT with 35 points and 11 rebounds while Rey Nambatac and RR Pogoy provided ample support with 19 and 18 points, respectively.

Calvin Oftana also chalked up a double-double of 11 points and 10 rebounds while Glenn Khobuntin and Poy Erram added 11 and 10, respectively, for TNT which made it back to the Final Four after missing on it the last conference.

Failing to close out the series in Game 3, it was clear from the very beginning that TNT had no plans of allowing NLEX to drag the contest to a do-or-die as the Tropang Giga went on a 18-9 in the first quarter.

While the Road Warriors showed some sort of resistance early on, the Tropang Giga built a double-digit advantage, 35-25, at the end of the first 10 minutes. 

Hollis-Jefferson then provided the tip to TNT’s spear in its second quarter onslaught, scoring 12 of the team’s 31 points in the quarter to take a comfortable 66-46 lead at the half.

Robert Bolick tried to pump some life to the flickering playoff hopes of the Road Warriors but he proved to be the lone bright spot in the contest as the Tropang Giga cruised to the series-clinching win.

Bolick had 25 points, seven assists and five rebounds which all went down the drain as NLEX, like the last conference, failed to make it past the quarterfinals. Import Dequan Jones added 21 points while rookie Jonnel Policarpio had 12 in the losing effort.

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