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[av_heading heading=’ TNT Katropa rallies past Phoenix in PBA Govs’ Cup ‘ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY ADRIAN STEWART CO
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MANILA – TNT Katropa rode on the hot hands of Glen Rice Jr. to score a come-from-behind 110-103 win over Phoenix Fuel Masters in the 2017 Oppo PBA Governors’ Cup last night at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
Rice, who had his stints with Washington Wizards in the NBA, finished with 38 points, nine rebounds and five assists.
The Katropa improved to 3-2 win-loss slate tying Rain or Shine Elasto Painters.
Kelly Williams chipped in with 18 markers while Ranidel de Ocampo, Roger Pogoy and Jayson Castro contributed 14, 13 and 11 points, respectively.
The Katropa bounced back from a 105-73 loss to the Painters.
“We went to this game with the hope of Glen playing better than his previous game and he did,” said Katropa head coach Nash Racela. “Plus the return of our Gilas players. They’ve done their part for the national cause, but ngayon nagsakripisyo naman sila para sa amin.”
Trailing for most of the way in the first half, the Katropa started its move in the third quarter behind Rice to snatch the lead at 76-75. The lead grew further to 86-79 heading into the fourth with hits from Williams and Rice.
The Fuel Masters had a strong start early in the fourth to come to within 88-86 but the Katropa managed to pull away to 99-93 on five straight points by Castro and a three-point play by Rice.
The Fuel Masters had its last run at 103-101 on conversions by Brandon Brown but free throws by De Ocampo followed by hits by Pogoy and Castro increased the Katropa’s lead to 110-101.
Brown finished with double-double 49 points and 19 rebounds, while rookies Joseph Eriobu and Matthew Wright chipped in 12 and 11 points, respectively, for the Fuel Masters, which dropped to 2-6 win-loss slate.
BOX SCORE:
TNT 110 – Rice 38, Williams 18, De Ocampo 14, Pogoy 13, Castro 11, Tautuaa 7, Semerad 7, Lingganay 2, Reyes 0, Carey 0, Hernandez 0.
PHOENIX 103 – Brown 49, Eriobu 12, Wright 11, Intal 10, Jazul 8, Chan 5, Alolino 4, Kramer 2, J. Wilson 2, Dehesa 0.
Quarterscores: 25-23, 49-46, 86-79, 110-103./PN
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