Tropang Giga cruise past Bolts

MANILA, Philippines -- The TNT Tropang Giga continued to roll in the PBA Governors’ Cup, pulling away late against the Meralco Bolts, 93-73, Thursday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson paced TNT with a statsheet-stuffing line of 25 points, 12 rebounds, eight assists, three steals and three blocks, while Rey Nambatac had 16 to lead the five Tropang Giga players in double digits.

After trailing huge at the start of the final quarter, Meralco was able to inch closer to just 10, 67-77, at the halfway mark of the final canto thanks to a layup by Jansen Rios.

TNT then unleashed haymaker after haymaker courtesy of Calvin Oftana, Nambatac and Hollis-Jefferson to go on a backbreaking 16-2 run to grab a 93-69 lead with 1:16 left.

“We came alive because we saw that we were within striking distance in the first half. So I think that gave us a lot of impetus,” Tropang Giga head coach Chot Reyes said.

After trailing by two at the half, 39-41,  reigning Governors’ Cup champions unleashed a 31-16 run in the third quarter to gain total control of the contest, 70-57.

The lead grew to 17, 76-59, after an Oftana jumper with 7:53 to go but a deuce by Bong Quinto and a 4-pointer by Chris Banchero kept them in it.

Poy Erram had 15 markers and six boards for TNT in his best contest yet since returning from a lengthy layoff due to an injury. Calvin Oftana and Glenn Khobuntin added 14 and 10, respectively.

Banchero spearheaded Meralco with 18 points, while Newsome, who exited the game with an ankle injury, had 15. Allen Durham was kept to just eight points and 10 rebounds in almost 32 minutes of play.

TNT is now on top of Group A play with a 2-0 slate. Meralco dropped to 1-1.