MANILA – TNT Tropang Giga survived several rallies by Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots to reach the 2022 PBA Philippine Cup finale with an 87-74 win in Game 6 of the semifinals last night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Jayson Castro showed his vintage form with 26 points, mostly in the second half, as the defending champions Tropang Giga finished off the best-of-seven semis series at 4-2.
Mikey Williams added 15 markers, on a paltry 5-of-16 shooting, while Roger Pogoy and Glenn Khobuntin contributed 14 markers apiece for the Tropang Giga.
The Tropang Giga were on top by double-digit for most part of opening half before the Hotshots opened the third quarter with a furious run to cut the deficit to as low as three points.
Castro, however, carried the scoring load for TNT in the third quarter for a 63-55 edge before the Hotshots drew strength from bludgeoned Ian Sangalang to cut the deficit to 60-65.
Timely three-pointers by Khobuntin, Williams and Castro gave the Tropang Giga its largest lead at 13 points as the Hotshots ended the game with missed shot attempts.
Sangalang and Calvin Abueva finished with 16 points apiece, while Jiovani Jalalon and Paul Lee contributed 11 and 10 markers, respectively, for the Hotshots.
In the first game, Aaron Black caught fire in the endgame as the Meralco Bolts pulled off a 96-92 victory over San Miguel Beermen in Game 6 and send their semis series to a do-or-die Game 7.
Down 80-90 with over three minutes left, the Bolts got back-to-back hits from Chris Newsome and Clifford Hodge followed by eight straight points by Black to surge ahead, 93-90 with under a minute left.
The Beermen nearly tied the score but Jaymar Perez only knocked down two of his three free throws before Black iced the series-tying win for the Bolts with three-of-four freebies.
Black finished with 17 points, 11 coming in the fourth, Newsome top-scored with 19 points, Hodge had double-double 17 points and 12 rebounds, while Raymond Almazan had 11 points for the Bolts.
BOX SCORE:
TNT 87 – Castro 26, M. Williams 15, Pogoy 14, Khobuntin 11, Erram 8, K. Williams 4, Rosario 4, Montalbo 2, Reyes 0, Marcelo 0, Ganuelas-Rosser 0.
MAGNOLIA 74 – Sangalang 16, Abueva 16, Jalalon 11, Lee 10, Dela Rosa 6, Laput 4, Wong 3, Barroca 3, Dionisio 2, Escoto 2, Corpuz 1, Brill 0, Reavis 0, Ahanmisi 0, Zaldivar 0.
Quarterscores: 21-17, 42-34, 60-55, 87-74./PN
