MANILA, Philippines — The TNT Tropang Giga showed why they are the defending champions by combining their lethal shooting and solid defense to overpower the NLEX Road Warriors, 109-91. This victory gave them a crucial 2-1 advantage in their best-of-five quarterfinal series in the PBA Governors’ Cup, played last night at the Ynares Sports Center in Antipolo.
After a heartbreaking 90-93 loss in Game 2 in Sta. Rosa, Laguna, TNT bounced back in a big way. They hit 15 three-pointers, creating a clear separation from NLEX, while their defense made sure the Road Warriors couldn’t recover.
Key Contributions from Khobuntin and Defense
Glenn Khobuntin led the charge from beyond the arc, hitting a flawless 5-of-5 from downtown. He wasn’t alone, as Calvin Oftana added three triples, while Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Rey Nambatac, RR Pogoy, and Kelly Williams also contributed from deep.
Defensively, TNT’s schemes were effective in limiting NLEX’s DeQuan Jones to just 16 points and Robert Bolick to 12. The Tropang Giga’s defense also led to 15 fastbreak points, outscoring NLEX by 12 in transition.
“For any team to win by a big margin, you need both good offense and defense working together. Tonight, we finally achieved that,” said TNT head coach Chot Reyes, whose team now has a chance to clinch a semifinal spot in Game 4.
Hollis-Jefferson led TNT with 27 points, 12 rebounds, and eight assists, nearly achieving a triple-double. Oftana also stepped up with 18 points and five boards, while both Nambatac and Khobuntin added 17 points and six rebounds each.
In another quarterfinal match, Rain or Shine secured a thrilling 111-106 overtime win over Magnolia, with Aaron Fuller making a triumphant return after an eye injury, posting 29 points, 11 rebounds, and six assists to help his team take a 2-1 series lead.
