MANILA – TNT KaTropa leaned on its torrid outside shooting to take down Phoenix Pulse Fuel Masters, 114-88, in the 2019 Honda PBA Commissioner’s Cup last night at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City.
Terrence Jones finished with 40 points, 11 rebounds and six assists, while Roger Pogoy dropped eight triples for 31 markers for the KaTropa, which hiked to 3-1.
The KaTropa broke away from a tight contest in the second period behind Jones and Pogoy for a 40-26 advantage. The Fuel Masters countered with a rally to tie the score at 52-all.
The game was still tight in the third when Jones and Pogoy anchored another scoring run for the KaTropa as the lead reached its largest at 114-83 on a basket by Jeth Troy Rosario.
Tension erupted at the 9:11 mark of opening quarter that led to the ejection of KaTropa consultant Mark Dickel, brothers Anthony and David Semerad and Fuel Masters head coach Louie Alas and Jason Perkins.
Anthony and Robert Dozier of Phoenix got entangled when Fuel Masters’ Calvin Abueva tried to set the two players apart. David then joined the fray and entangled with Abueva forcing Alas to push David away.
Abueva was also thrown out late in the fourth quarter after being called for flagrant foul penalty two for his hit on Jones. Dickel was thrown out for throwing the ball on the referee.
In the first game, the Blackwater Elite vented its ire on the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters with a wire-to-wire 98-92 drubbing to get back on the winning track.
Allein Maliksi led the way with 19 points, Bobby Ray Parks and Michael Digregorio added 16 markers each for the Elite, which rise to 4-1. Denzel Bowles had 27 markers for the Painters (0-2)./PN
