GAME WEDNESDAY
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
5:45 p.m. — SMB vs. TNT
WITH coach Chot Reyes back at the helm, defending champion TNT also returned to its winning ways in the Big Dance last night.
Propped up by a fast start and a sustained charge, TNT clobbered San Miguel Beer 100-87 in Game 4 of their best-of-7 finals battle for the PBA Philippine Cup crown at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Veteran playmaker Jayson Castro wound up with a game-high 26 points, on top of six rebounds, and four assists, while others did their share in leading the Tropang Giga to the crucial win that evened the race-to-4 series at 2-2.
Roger Pogoy added 21 markers, three boards, and two dimes, while Mikey Williams and Kelly Williams had 15 and 14, respectively for TNT, which struck back after dropping the last two games of the finals, counting a 100-108 overtime loss to the Beermen in Game 3 three nights ago.
Tropang Giga assistant Sandy Arespacochaga, who spoke in lieu of Reyes after the latter had to immediately go to Gilas Pilipinas practice, said TNT got the sorely needed boost with the comeback of Reyes.
“First of all, mahirap talaga iyong situation because all of a sudden, finals, tapos nawala si coach Chot and coach Chot really means a lot to our team. There’s no question about that,” Arespacochaga said.
“Lalo na sa amin within the team, talagang malaking bagay si coach Chot and it’ a big boost that he has come back,” he added.
The Tropang Giga also set a pro league record for the fewest turnovers in a game with only three miscues.
After leading by as much as 34-16 early on, TNT took a 43-26 lead at the half.
SMB charged back and briefly wrested a 52-51 buffer on a June Mar Fajardo layup at the 6:23 mark of the third quarter.
But the Tropang Giga showed great resolve and reestablished a 72-63 edge going into the payoff period.
A Simon Enciso free throw shoved the Beermen to within 83-96 with still 2:42 to go but TNT held their ground the rest of the way.
The setback spoiled the 20-point and 19-rebound effort of Fajardo for SMB on the night he was named Best Player of the Conference.
Enciso contributed 15 markers, while Marcio Lassiter, Mo Tautuaa, and CJ Perez had 14, 13, and 13 points, respectively for the Beermen.