MANILA – NLEX Road Warriors handed sister team TNT KaTropa its first defeat in the 2019 PBA Governors’ Cup with a 126-113 beating last night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Manny Harris top-scored with 40 points, nine assists and six rebounds. Kiefer Ravena had double-double 16 points and 13 assists while Jericho Cruz and John Paul Erram submitted 15 and 14 markers, respectively.
The Road Warriors improved to 6-1.
Trailing for most part of the opening half, the Road Warriors got its act together in the third period behind Ravena, Harris and JR Quinahan. They established a 90-80 advantage.
The lead grew to its largest for the Road Warriors at the onset of the fourth period at 100-82 on back-to-back triples by Philip Paniamogan and Larry Fonacier. The KaTropa, however, responded with a rally to cut the deficit to 103-111.
NLEX did not allow the opportunity to tarnish TNT’s record slip. Back-to-back three pointers from Harris and Cruz increased the lead to 124-111 with under two minutes left.
As the KaTropa suffered its first defeat in eight matches, KJ McDaniels finished with 42 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists while Roger Pogoy added conference-high 35 markers.
In the first game, Columbian Dyip halted its two-game losing skid following a 106-104 escape over the Phoenix Pulse Fuel Masters to level its win-loss record to 4-4.
From a seesaw battle early in the game, the Dyip surged to a 28-20 edge on hits by Khapri Alston and Jackson Corpuz. The Fuel Masters rallied to within 37-39 but the Dyip had a response to build its largest lead at 56-42 early in the third.
Phoenix came up with a furious run late in third period to take a 75-73 edge before both teams engaged in a tight game early in the fourth before Columbain pulled away behind Alston and Rashawn McCarthy for a 102-92 lead.
Alston tallied double-double 30 points and 19 rebounds, while Jaymar Perez chipped in 25 markers for the Dyip.
Alonzo Gee finished with 45 points,
nine rebounds and six steals as the Fuel Masters dropped to 2-6 win-loss
record./PN
