Castro returns as TNT hands Blackwater first loss

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Jayson Castro finally saw action and didn’t waste any time helping lift TNT KaTropa.

The last Governors Cup Best Player came off the bench to score 20 points and starred in the Texters’ 99-92 win over erstwhile unbeaten Blackwater Friday in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Moala Tautuua also notched 20 points, but Castro and Ranidel de Ocampo were the ones who did the most damage for TNT in overcoming a listless start for the second straight game before going full throttle for majority of the remainder of the game.

That and the fact TNT realized a second straight win to tie its victim at 2-1 hardly pleased chief assistant coach Josh Reyes, who still called the shots despite Nash Racela being already freed up from his commitments with Far Eastern U.

“We didn’t start the way we needed to. We need to come out every time with the right things in mind, intensity-wise, energy-wise and pride-wise,” said Reyes. “It’s not the prettiest game for us, but this will serve as a learning experience for us.”

Mac Belo led everybody with 21 points and grabbed nine rebounds and John Pinto added 14 points, but the two could not come up with the right plays in the stretch that would have fueled Blackwater’s fightback from an 11-point 79-90 deficit.

After the Elite had moved to within 89-96, Pinto went 3-for-5 from the line while Belo lost a crucial
possession that could have brought the Elite closer than 92-96.

Much like what he did in a 108-103 victory over Barangay Ginebra last Sunday, De Ocampo sealed the deal with free throws inside the last 18 seconds.

De Ocampo finished with 15 points, eight rebounds and four assists, mostly kickouts to Larry Fonacier, who wound up with 11 markers.

Kyle Pascual also scored 14 points for Blackwater with Art dela Cruz and Reil Cervantes adding 12 and 10,
respectively.

Tautuua’s 20th point came off an and-one play that made it 57-52. Castro, De Ocampo and Fonacier then took over, with the latter’s third triple boosting TNT to a 76-67 lead entering the fourth period.

After making 11 of 17 field goal attempts in the first quarter to lead by nine points twice, Blackwater found the going rougher in the second period where Tautuaa picked up from where he left off and Castro started to get really going.

Tautuaa scored eight of his 15 first half points and Castro six of his nine in the second canto in sparking TNT’s charge to a 50-46 lead at the break.

The Texters’ comeback from a 21-30 deficit was largely made possible by its 10-for-15 field goal shooting in the second period compared to the Elite’s 5-for-20.

Helping make the game close for Blackwater was Pinto, who scored six of his nine first half points, and TNT’s 10 turnovers in the second period alone.

The Scores:

TNT 99 – Tautuaa 20, Castro 20, De Ocampo 15, Fonacier 11, Rosario 8, Ganuelas-Rosser 8, Carey 5, Reyes 5, Williams 4, Pogoy 3, Hernandez 0, Rosales 0, Golla 0.
Blackwater 92 -Belo 21, K. Pascual 14, Pinto 14, Dela Cruz 12, Cervantes 10, Miranda 5, Ababou 4, Aguilar 4, Buenafe 4, Sena 4, Banal 0, R. Pascual 0, Forrester 0.

Quarters: 21-30, 50-46, 76-67, 99-92.

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TAGS: Jayson Castrl, TNT

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