MANILA – TNT Tropang Giga scored a wire-to-wire 99-80 domination over sister team Meralco Bolts in Game 3 of the 2022-2023 PBA Governors’ Cup semifinals last night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Rondae Hollis -Jefferson led the way with double-double 40 points and 13 rebounds, while Mikey Williams drilled six triples to finish with 29 markers for the Tropang Giga, which took a 2-1 lead in the best-of-five semifinals series.
Williams and Hollis-Jefferson caught fire in the opening quarter as the Tropang Giga surged to a 30-15 lead over the Bolts. It later grew to 56-30 at the half behind the second quarter onslaught of TNT.
The Bolts went on a huge run in the second half as they cut the deficit to as low as 12 points but timely conversions from Hollis-Jefferson increased the Tropang Giga’s lead back to 22 points.
KJ McDaniels finished with 30 points and 10 rebounds, Chris Newsome added 12 markers, while Aaron Black and Clifford Hodge contributed 11 markers apiece for the Bolts.
In the first game, Christian Standhardinger drilled a go-ahead basket as Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings advanced to the PBA Finals with an 87-85 win over San Miguel Beermen in Game 3 of semifinals.
With the score tied at 85-all, Gin Kings’ Justin Brownlee attracted three Beermen defenders before dropping the ball to Standhardinger for an open layup with four seconds left.
The Beermen still had a chance to send the game into overtime but Marcio Lassiter misfired his basket attempt just inside the three-point line.
Standhardinger finished the game with 14 points, 17 rebounds and seven assists, Brownlee and Earl Scottie Thompson had 20 and 17 markers, respectively, while Jeremiah Gray and Jamie Malonzo had 13 and 12.
The defending champions Gin Kings will face the winner of the Tropang Giga-Bolts semifinals matchup in a best-of-seven championship series beginning on Easter Sunday, April 9.
BOX SCORE:
TNT 99 — Hollis-Jefferson 40, M. Williams 29, Pogoy 7, Castro 7, Oftana 4, Erram 4, Khobuntin 3, Montalbo 3, Chua 2, Varilla 0, Ganuelas-Rosser 0.
MERALCO 80 — McDaniels 30, Newsome 12, Black 11, Hodge 11, Maliksi 4, Almazan 3, Caram 3, Pasaol 3, Jose 2, Quinto 1, Banchero 0, Pascual 0.
Quarterscores: 30-15, 56-30, 75-59, 99-80./PN
