MANILA – TNT Tropang Giga showed no love for sister team Meralco Bolts with a 110-80 beating in Game 1 of the 2022-2023 PBA Governors’ Cup semifinals last night at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City.
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson had a triple-double 22 points, 13 rebounds and 12 assists, while Roger Pogoy chipped in 21 markers, including five triples, as the Tropang Giga took a 1-0 lead in the best-of-five series.
Calvin Oftana came off the bench to deliver 15 points and nine rebounds, while Mikey Williams and Jayson Castro contributed 14 and 12 markers, respectively, for the Tropang Giga.
From a close game early in the opening quarter, the Tropang Giga pulled away behind conversions from Castro, Oftana and Hollis-Jefferson for a 31-19 lead before it remained at 12 points at the half via outside hits by Williams.
The Tropang Giga continued its offensive onslaught in the third quarter with three-point conversions from Pogoy and Williams and inside hits by Hollis-Jefferson as the lead reached its largest at 33 points.
KJ McDaniels struggled with just 12 points to go with 14 rebounds, Kier John Quinto added 11 markers, while Chris Newsome and Raymond Almazan had 10 points each for the Bolts.
In the first game, defending champions Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings avoided a fourth quarter meltdown to beat San Miguel Beermen, 121-112, to take a 1-0 lead in their best-of-five semifinals series.
After seeing their 95-80 lead wiped out by a 15-0 blast by the Beermen, Ginebra pulled away anew via triples by Jamie Malonzo and Earl Scottie Thompson and two free throws and an inside hit by Christian Standhardinger for a 107-99 lead.
The Beermen threatened anew at 103-109 but two three-pointers by Malonzo followed by inside connections by Standhardinger and Brownlee gave the Gin Kings a 119-108 advantage with over a minute left.
Standhardinger finished with 33 points, 10 rebounds and five assists, Malonzo added 27 markers, Brownlee contributed 24 points, 12 rebounds and six assists, while Thompson and Jeremiah Gray had 15 and 12 markers, respectively, for the Gin Kings.
BOX SCORE:
TNT 110 – Hollis-Jefferson 22, Pogoy 21, Oftana 15, M. Williams 14, Castro 12, Khobuntin 7, Montalbo 5, Chua 4, Erram 4, Varilla 0, Marcelo 0, Ganuelas-Rosser 0, Cruz 0, Acuno 0.
MERALCO 80 – McDaniels 12, Quinto 11, Newsome 10, Almazan 10, Hodge 9, Jose 9, Black 7, Dario 5, Johnson 3, Maliksi 2, Hugnatan 2, Banchero 0, Caram 0, Pascual 0, Rios 0, Pasaol 0.
Quarterscores: 31-19, 57-45, 92-66, 110-80./PN
