MANILA – Terrence Jones bucked the bullying and cheap shots from the San Miguel Beermen to power TNT KaTropa to a 115-105 Game 3 victory in the 2019 Honda PBA Commissioner’s Cup finals last night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Despite being on the receiving end of several hits from the Beermen – including elbows to the rib section – Jones still finished with near triple-double of 37 points, 18 rebounds and nine assists.
The KaTropa took a 2-1 series edge.
Roger Pogoy was also instrumental with 29 points, including five triples, while Celedonio Trollano, Jayson Castro and Jeth Troy Rosario had 18, 14 and 13 markers, respectively.
Holding to a slim 13-12 lead, the KaTropa suddenly found themselves down by 15 points after the first 12 minutes as the Beermen took advantage of the three-minute exit of Jones due to flagrant one foul for head-butting Beermen’s Chris Ross.
Staring at an 18-33 deficit entering the second period, the KaTropa went on a huge 24-0 scoring run on free throws by Jones and conversions from Trollano and Pogoy. They surged to a 55-50 lead at the half.
From a seesaw battle early in the third, the KaTropa pulled to an 83-72 lead with three-pointers from Trollano, Jones and Rosario and inside drives from Pogoy.
The Beermen cut it to 83-86 early in the fourth. TNT, however, regained its offense with Trollano hitting five straight points and Pogoy and Jones converting their outside shots.
The KaTropa lead went up to its largest at 100-85 before the Beermen made late baskets to trim the final margin.
June Mar Fajardo and Chris McCullough both had double-doubles of 27 points and 13 rebounds, as Terrence Romeo and Von Pessumal added 13 and 12 markers, respectively, for the Beermen.
BOX SCORE:
TNT 115 – Jones 37, Pogoy 29, Trollano 18, Castro 14, Rosario 13, Heruela 4, Magat 0, Washington 0, Taha 0, Carey 0, Semerad 0, Golla 0, Casino 0.
SMB 105 – Fajardo 27, McCullough 27, Romeo 13, Pessumal 12, Santos 10, Standhardinger 8, Ross 5, Cabagnot 3, Ganuelas-Rosser 0.
Quarterscores: 18-33, 55-50, 86-78, 115-105./PN
