[av_one_full first min_height=” vertical_alignment=” space=” custom_margin=” margin=’0px’ padding=’0px’ border=” border_color=” radius=’0px’ background_color=” src=” background_position=’top left’ background_repeat=’no-repeat’ animation=”]
[av_heading heading=’Semerad treys lift Katropa to 2-0 edge’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY ADRIAN STEWART CO
[/av_heading]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=”]
Wednesday, June 14, 2017
[/av_textblock]
[av_image src=’http://www.panaynews.net/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/sports-tnt-2-0.jpg’ attachment=’108813′ attachment_size=’full’ align=’center’ styling=” hover=” link=” target=” caption=’yes’ font_size=” appearance=’on-hover’ overlay_opacity=’0.4′ overlay_color=’#000000′ overlay_text_color=’#ffffff’ animation=’no-animation’]
TNT Katropa forward Kelly Williams goes for the basket against the defense of Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings forwards Japeth Aguilar and Justin Brownlee in Game 2 of the 2017 Oppo PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals Tuesday night. CNN PHILIPPINES
[/av_image]
[av_textblock size=” font_color=” color=”]
MANILA – Anthony Seme rad came up with clutch treys in the end to help TNT post a 2-0 lead in the 2017 Oppo PBA Commissioner’s Cup best-of-five semifinals.
Katropa defeated Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings, 107-103, in Game 2 last night at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
With TNT trailing 96-90 late in the final period, Semerad converted three straight triples to push his team ahead, 102-100, but Ginebra responded also with a triple by LA Tenorio to regain the lead, 103-102.
Semerad, who was out for three months due to a bone spurs surgery, nailed another triple to make Katropa lead, 105-103, before import Joshua Smith sealed the victory with an undergoal stab in the last eight seconds.
Semerad finished with conference-high 14 points, with 12 markers in the final quarter, for Katropa to move closer to a return trip to the PBA Finals.
“I am glad to have a breakthrough game,” said the Filipino-Australian. “I’ve been out for nearly three months and I am still regaining my conditioning. I am happy with the trust being shown by (Katropa) coach Nash (Racela).”
Smith led the way with double-double 16 points and 16 rebounds, while Roger Pogoy, Jayson Castro and Kelly Williams combined for 38 markers for the 2015 Commissioner’s Cup champion.
It was a seesaw battle for both teams in the entire match, with Ginebra managing to lead only by as much as 7 points. The final score turned out to be TNT’s largest lead.
Tenorio and import Justin Brownlee finished with 22 points apiece for Ginebra, which hopes to get past the 0-2 deficit to make its third consecutive PBA Finals appearance.
Sister teams Star Hotshots and San Miguel Beermen will be shooting for a 2-1 advantage in Game 3 of their own semifinals series tonight at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum./PN
[/av_textblock]
[/av_one_full]
