TNT clinches second semi-final seat after dispatching NLEX
TNT booked the second ticket in the PBA Season 49 Governors’ Cup semi-finals after dispatching the NLEX Road Warriors, 125-96, in their game last night, October 1, at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
The Tropang Giga got the 3-1 triumph in their best-of-five series with a 29-point blowout to continue its journey to their title defense bid.
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson once again led TNT with his 35 points and 11 rebounds, while Rey Nambatac delivered 19 markers on a 7-of-12 shooting from the field, and RR Pogoy also contributed 18 on 6-of-10 shooting.
Calvin Oftana had his own share by manufacturing 11 points and grabbing 10 boards.
At the end of first quarter, the Tropang Giga already erected a 10-point lead. Then, they started the second period with an 11-0 blast, and never looked back from that moment to finally seal the deal at the end of the game.
With the quick series win against the Road Warriors, TNT will enjoy some rest while awaiting the Rain or Shine-Magnolia knock-out matchup on whom they will play in the best-of-seven final four.
"In basketball, it's about playing defense and putting the ball in the hoops. In the quarterfinals, we finally hit some shots," said TNT coach Chot Reyes.
"Whichever we play will be a much different team, and it will be a test for our flexibility and adaptability. It will be a big test for our defense," he added.
Robert Bolick and DeQuan Jones had 25 and 21 markers, respectively, for NLEX, but TNT’s hot 57.5 percent shooting from the field was too much for the Road Warriors to overcome.
The scores:
TNT 125 – Hollis-Jefferson 35, Nambatac 19, Pogoy 18, Oftana 11, Khobuntin 11, Erram 10, Williams 5, Aurin 5, Exciminiano 4, Payawal 3, Heruela 2, Castro 2, Ebona 0, Galinato 0, Varilla 0.
NLEX 96 – Bolick 25, Jones 21, Policarpio 12, Nermal 10, Torres 9, Anthony 5, Valdez 4, Semerad 3, Nieto 2, Fajardo 2, Herndon 2, Mocon 1, Miranda 0, Amer 0, Rodger 0.
Quarters: 35-25; 66-46; 95-74; 125-96.
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Blackwater attempted a late push, cutting the gap to 76-65 in the fourth quarter, but NLEX responded with a 12-5 counter that put the game out of reach. Semerad, who buried three triples in the payoff period, earned Finals MVP honors with 16 points and 12 rebounds. Torres topped the scoring for NLEX with 19 markers, while Bolick came close to a triple-double with eight points, six boards, and nine assists. JB Bahio and Fajardo chipped in 12 and 10 markers, respectively. As a team, the Road Warriors torched the net from beyond the arc, going 18-of-34, with Semerad and Torres sinking four each.
Sedrick Barefield paced Blackwater with 15 points, while Richard Escoto added 14. The Bossing, despite falling short in the finals, had an impressive run in the preliminaries, including a comeback win over NLEX, 95-90, earlier in the tournament.
The championship serves as a timely boost for NLEX heading into the new PBA season. Last year, the Road Warriors finished second in the Philippine Cup eliminations before bowing out in the quarterfinals against Rain or Shine. Deputy mentor Adonis Tierra called the shots in their last two games, steering the team to become the second straight PBA squad to lift the Kadayawan crown, following Rain or Shine’s sweep in 2024. NLEX closed the tournament with a 3-1 card, their lone loss coming at the hands of Blackwater.
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Troy Mallillin contributed 17 points and six rebounds, while newcomer Jed Mendoza impressed in his debut with 16 points.
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All eyes in Taiwan will be on the Taipei Heping Basketball Gymnasium, which will host a blockbuster doubleheader featuring some of the region’s most decorated clubs.
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