MANILA – TNT Tropang Giga moved closer to a return trip to the finals after a 102-84 rout of Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots in the 2022 PBA Philippine Cup semifinals on Wednesday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
John Paul Erram tallied double-double 19 points and 13 rebounds, while Roger Pogoy chipped in 18 markers as the Tropang Giga cruised to a 3-1 lead in the best-of-seven series.
Mikey Williams and Jeth Troy Rosario contributed 15 markers apiece, while Jayson Castro and Glenn Khobuntin added nine points each for the defending champions Tropang Giga.
The Tropang Giga struggled with their offense early as they were down 9-15 before Pogoy unloaded five straight points followed by back-to-back dunks from Erram to take a slim 18-15 lead.
Both teams were engaged in a tight exchange in the second quarter with only Pogoy, Rosario and Erram connecting for the Tropang Giga as they took a slim 42-38 halftime lead.
TNT went on a surge in the third quarter with Williams finally connecting with his outside shots and the Hotshots being held by the tight defense of the Tropang Giga as the latter erected a 70-54 lead.
The defending champions continued to pull away in the fourth period with Erram converting from inside and outside and Castro and Khobuntin also having their share of points as the lead reached its largest at 95-72.
Even with the Tropang Giga just one win away from returning to the Philippine Cup finals, head coach Vincent “Chot” Reyes is still wary of a possible fight back by the physical Hotshots.
“That’s the most difficult win in a series, the fourth,” Reyes said. “We just have to make sure to remind them (Tropa) of it but more importantly, put them in a position to come and play their best in the next game.”
Ian Sangalang’s 19 points paced Magnolia, which also drew 17 points from Paul Lee and 14 from Aris Dionisio but little else from the other Hotshots, most notably Calvin Abueva, Andy Mark Barroca and Jiovani Jalalon.
BOX SCORE:
TNT 102 – Erram 19, Pogoy 18, M. Williams 15, Rosario 15, Castro 9, Khobuntin 9, Reyes 6, K. Williams 4, Cruz 3, Alejandro 2, Ganuelas-Rosser 2, Banal 0, Marcelo 0, Montalbo 0, Tungcab 0.
MAGNOLIA 84 – Snagalang 19, Lee 17, Dionisio 14, Reavis 7, Barroca 5, Dela Rosa 4, Corpuz 4, Jalalon 4, Wong 4, Zaldivar 2, Abueva 2, Brill 2, Laput 0, Escoto 0, Ahanmisi 0.
Quarterscores: 18-15, 42-38, 70-54, 102-84./PN
