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Bobby Ray Parks took over as TNT Tropang Giga edged the Phoenix Super LPG with a 102-101 victory to force a decisive Game 5 in the PBA Philippine Cup semifinals on Wednesday at the AUF Sports Arena and Cultural Center.
Tropang Giga got a great game from Parks to survive a late comeback attempt by Phoenix in the fourth. Parks led Tropang Giga with 36 points on shooting 10 of 16 and added six rebounds, three assists and two steals in 46 minutes of play.
Parks was also 5-of-8 from the middle and scored 12 of TNT’s last 14 points, including a pair of free kicks that gave Tropang Giga a 100-95 lead with four seconds left to stop any attempt at a comeback. of Phoenix. late in the game.
“It’s more of a team effort at the end of the day. It’s not just me. Everyone played their part,” Parks said during the exit interview. “And we know Phoenix is a great team, they are physical, they are well trained, they are talented, so it will be necessary to walk the path to try to beat them, especially in a series of five.”
Backing Parks were Jayson Castro, who finished with 21 points and five assists in a surprise start, and Roger Pogoy, who weathered a bad night of shooting (6 of 21) to finish with 18 points. Simon Enciso also released 14 markers.
“Our main goal was just to win the game, to even the series,” coach Bong Ravena said after the game. “Hopefully we can continue Game 5 on Friday.”
An 8-0 start dictated the pace for TNT, which led comfortably by 10 at the half behind strong starts from Castro and Parks.
But Phoenix, wanting to end things and make the final for the first time in franchise history, almost completely turned it around in a solid third-quarter performance that nearly ruined TNT’s offense. Down 16, 66-50, after mid-race, the Fuel Masters unleashed a vicious 18-3 run behind Matthew Wright, who shot 11 of his 18 points in the third quarter during that race to help the Fuels. Masters to enter the reward period for just one, 69-68.
Tropang Giga would then have some breathing room in the fourth when Enciso (two triples), Pogoy (two) and Parks made five triples to open the fourth for TNT and make it a nine-point game, 84-75.
Although TNT held a double-digit lead for most of the period, it still had to withstand a couple of scares from a Phoenix team that just didn’t go down that easily.
Fortunately for Tropang Giga, Parks was there to close the door on any Phoenix uprising.
When the Fuel Masters closed in on four after a pair of 3s by RJ Jazul and Jason Perkins, as well as two free throws by Justin Chua, cut the lead to 96-92 with 1:24 remaining, Parks hit a jump shot. backwards that would do. as the only field goal for both teams for more than a minute.
After a Perkins 3-pointer cut it to 98-95 with six seconds left, Parks coldly sank two from the line to give TNT a five-point cushion that would prove to be enough cushion.
Phoenix, however, maintained a gallant position behind Wright, who played 44 minutes and scored 34 points and seven 3-pointers while dishing out nine assists and five rebounds in a very impressive outing.
Perkins had 19 points, while Calvin Abueva had 17 and 13 rebounds, although he had eight turnovers.
Ravena said he expects a dogfight against Phoenix on Friday.
“There is nothing to celebrate. Our goal was to even the series,” he said. “But we also have to be ready for Phoenix. We respect them a lot. We know they can play, they can finish the game. We are not going to relax. The longer the series, the more difficult it will be for us. So we have to want that one. I play so much. We have to work hard and we really want that game. “
THE SCORES
TNT 102 – Parks 36, Castro 21, Pogoy 18, Enciso 14, Washington 6, Erram 4, Montalbo 3, De Leon 0, Reyes 0, Semerad 0, Rosario 0, Vosotros 0.
Phoenix 101 – Wright 34, Perkins 19, Abueva 17, Jazul 11, Chua 10, García 4, Ríos 4, Heruela 2, Intal 0, Mallari 0, Napoles 0.
Trimesters: 21-12, 48-38, 69-68, 102-101.
ADDITIONAL JARS
– Troy Rosario (0 points, 0 of 6, seven rebounds in 23 minutes) and Poy Erram (four points, one rebound, 13 minutes) fought and played sparingly against the Fuel Masters. Ravena said: “We still believe in Poy and Troy. We know they will come out of this slump. We are not going to give up. They are still part of the rotation.”
– TNT’s shot hit 18 of 46 3s (39.1 percent) in a shootout against Phoenix, which hit four fewer 3s but was slightly more accurate (14 of 34, 41.2 percent).
– Phoenix had only 12 points in the first quarter. Abueva had six of those and went 3 of 5, but the rest of the Fuel Masters were 1 of 13.
UNTIL NEXT TIME
Game 5 on Friday, November 27 at 3:45 pm
