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SERVICES
THE INQUIRER COMPANY
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04
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25
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2024
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SERVICES
THE INQUIRER COMPANY
04
25
2024
BATANGAS CITY – Frontrunner TNT KaTropa picked up a good rhythm in the final half and smothered San Miguel Beer, 105-85, for an outright Top Four finish in the PBA Governors Cup eliminations at the Batangas City Coliseum here Saturday night.
The Texters worked on all cylinders in the last two quarters, sprinting away from a tight 46-45 halftime count en route to their most lopsided win in the tourney thus far.
Jason Castro, Ranidel de Ocampo, Michael Madanly and Larry Fonacier led the way as TNT automatically secured a twice-to-beat privilege in the quarterfinals with its eighth win in nine outings.
They tore SMB apart in the last 24 minutes of play and sent them down to joint third with the Mahindra Enforcers at 6-3. Breathing down their necks are the Meralco Bolts (5-4) who take on the embattled Star Hotshots at the MOA Arena Sunday.
Coming from a 37-point game, Castro roared on with an exciting double-double performance with 16 points and 13 assists.
De Ocampo came up with 18 markers and five boards while Madanly and Fonacier combined for 24 points, including three three-pointers each in sterling off-the-bench jobs.
A good defensive effort on June Mar Fajardo’s was Michal Ammons’ key contribution as TNT stretched to six games its domination of SMB in road showdowns.
Holding down their rivals to their least output in a game in the tourney, the Texters in the process dealt the Beermen their worst defeat in a long while. It’s actually San Miguel’s third worse defeat in the last six conferences under coach Leo Austria.
The Beermen have now gone 1-1 with import sub Mike Singletary who collected 18 points and seven rebounds
against the Texters.
Debuting Asian import Mahmoud Abdeen had nine points on 3-of-6 three-point shooting.
Fonacier also went 3-of-6 from beyond the arc, draining a pair to cap a decisive attack that opened an 80-64 lead at the end of the third period.
At the start of the fourth, Madanly also fired a trey then Moala Tautuaa scored on a jarring jam as the Texters further broke away.
The scores:
TNT KATROPA 105 – De Ocampo 18, Castro 16, Madanly 15, Rosario 13, Ammons 11, Fonacier 9, Reyes R. 8, Williams 5, Carey 4, Tautuaa 3, Rosser 2, Rosales 1, Ababou 0, Nuyles 0.
SAN MIGUEL 85 – Fajardo 20, Singletary 18, Cabagnot 17, Santos 10, Abdeen 9, Tubid 7, Espinas 2, Lassiter 2, Arana 0, David 0, De Ocampo 0, Ross 0.
Quarters: 28-20, 47-45, 80-64, 105-85
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