Binalewala ng Magnolia at TNT ang twice-to-beat bonus ng mga kalaban upang paabutin sa do-or-die ang serye nila sa PBA Commissioner’s Cup quarterfinals nitong Miyerkules sa Ninoy Aquino Stadium sa Maynila.
Natakasan ng TNT Tropang 5G ang NLEX Road Warriors, 96-93, samantalang wagi ang Magnolia Hotshots kontra Meralco Bolts sa second game, 95-89.
Ang import na si Bol Bol ay nagbuslo ng 34 puntos at kumuha ng 14 rebounds, samantalang umalalay sina Calvin Oftana (19), Roger Pogoy (15) at Jayson Castro (14) upang marating ng Tropang 5G ang playoff sa Sabado sa Ninoy Aquino Stadium pa rin.
“I think this is the first game in the whole conference that we had those three guys in double figures. Hindi magsabay-sabay ang magandang laro nina Calvin, Roger at Jayson, eh,” ani TNT coach Chot Reyes.
“They’re really our three vets, our three mainstays. So as long as we can get those kinds of help around Bol then we give ourselves better chances of winning.”
Si Oftana ang naatasan na depensahan si Robert Bolick, na nalimitahan sa 15 puntos at apat na assists bago ma-foul out sa huling 4:33 ng laro.
“That’s the value for us of Roger because if you notice, we put Roger on him (Bolick) right away,” paliwanag ni Reyes. “You cannot stop a guy like Berto so the best we can do is slow him down, limit his looks and his touches.”
Isang free throw ni Bol ang nagbigay ng lamang sa TNT, 94-93, bago magdadag ng dalawa pa sa huling 5.7 segundo.
Wala ng nagawa ang NLEX sa nalabing segundo.
Para kay Magnolia coach LA Tenorio, hindi pa panahon para magbunyi.
“We just lived to fight another game, no time to celebrate,” ani Tenorio.
“I know them very well. They will come back with alot of energy. But I know my players, I trust them and I believe they will be ready.”
Tinalo rin ng Hotshots ang Bolts sa pagtatapos ng elimination noong Linggo, 93-76.
Ang import na si Clint Chapman ay nagtala ng 21 puntos at 12 rebounds para sa Hotshots.
Tiwala si Meralco coach Luigi Trillo na sila pa rin ang aabante sa best-of-seven semifinals.
“It’ll be a game on Saturday. Fifty-fifty at this point. We’ll be ready for Saturday,” ani Trillo.
Sa Ynares Center Antipolo sa Biyernes, tatangkan ng Rain Or Shine at Barangay Ginebra na ma-una na sa semis.
Makakaharap ng ROS ang San Miguel Beer sa unang laro simula 5:15 p.m. samantalang gusto ng pagbakasyunin ng Ginebra sa Phoenix sa laro simua 7:30 p.m.
The scores:
First Game
TNT 96 – Bol 34, Oftana 19, Pogoy 15, Castro 14, Nambatac 7, Ganuelas-Rosser 5, Galinato 2, Khobuntin 0, Williams 0, Heading 0, Quitevis 0.
NLEX 93 – Lalanne 17, Bolick 15, Torres 14, Gonzales 13, Semerad 11, Winston 10, Rodger 8, Ramirez 3, Bahio 2, Racal 0, Fajardo 0.
Quarters: 26-all; 50-52; 76-72; 96-93
Second Game
MAGNOLIA 95 – Chapman 21, Lastimosa 17, Dela Rosa11, Sangalang 10, Barroca 9, Gomez De Liano 9, Lucero 9, Lee 9, Alfaro 0, Verano 0, Andrada 0
MERALCO 89 – Newsome 23, Jones 16, Quinto 10, Black 9, Mocon 8, Cansino 7, Banchero 6, Brickman5, Hodge 3, Bates 2
Quarters: 24-22, 50-40, 73-57, 95-89