MANILA – TNT Tropang Giga pushed the San Miguel Beermen closer to elimination with a 115-97 rout in the 2024-25 PBA Commissioner’s Cup on Sunday night at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City.
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson posted a triple-double of 35 points, 21 rebounds, and 10 assists to be named Player of the Game as the Tropang Giga climbed to solo second place with an 8-3 record.
Roger Pogoy added 22 markers, including four three-point conversions, Calvin Oftana chipped in 16 points, while Jayson Castro and John Paul Erram contributed 14 points each for TNT.
Tropang Giga head coach Vincent “Chot” Reyes stated in a post-game interview that the significance of their victory against the Beermen is it gave them a chance to finish at top two and with a twice-to-beat incentive in the quarterfinals.
“The important thing is we can decide what position we will end, but what I learn in this life is you never really know what’s gonna happen, things are really unpredictable, the best thing is you give yourself a shot,” Reyes said.
June Mar Fajardo tallied a double-double of 34 points and 13 rebounds, Celedonio Trollano added 13 markers, while Malik Pope and Moala Tautuaa contributed 10 apiece for the Beermen.
With a 5-7 record, the defending champion Beermen will now hope for the NLEX Road Warriors (5-6) and the Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots (5-6) to lose their final elimination round match to have a shot at a playoff for a quarterfinals seat.
Meanwhile, Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots kept their playoff hopes alive with a dominant 107-78 victory over Hong Kong Eastern.
Ricardo Ratliffe spearheaded the offense with 25 points to go with 16 rebounds and seven assists as the Hotshots stayed in quarterfinals contention with their 5-6 win-loss slate.
Zavier Lucero and Jerom Lastimosa added 20 markers apiece, while Ian Sangalang and Andy Mark Barroca contributed 14 and 11 points, respectively, for the Hotshots./PN
BOX SCORE:
TNT 115 – Hollis-Jefferson 35, Pogoy 22, Oftana 16, Castro 14, Erram 14, Nambatac 6, Williams 6, Galinato 2, Heruela 0, Khobuntin 0, Razon 0, Exciminiano 0.
SAN MIGUEL 97 – Fajardo 34, Trollano 13, Pope 10, Tautuaa 10, Lassiter 9, Perez 9, Cruz 6, Ross 3, Tiongson 3, Cahilig 0, Rosales 0.
Quarterscores: 31-19, 56-49, 87-70, 115-97.
