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Talk about how to start the PBA bubble with a bang.
Roger Pogoy and Jayson Castro had great performances for an unmanned TNT team that escaped Alaska 100-95 for the first win of the 2020 Philippines Cup restart Sunday at the University of Angeles Foundation gym in Pampanga.
Pogoy wasted no time putting on a show by shooting his career-high 45 points, built around 10 3-pointers before giving up the spotlight in the final minutes to Jayson Castro (28 points), whose late-game heroics helped Tropang Giga complete a comeback. 17 against the Aces.
The pair were the only players to score in double digits for TNT, which dealt with the departure of rookie Poy Erram, who was sent off at the end of the third quarter, and Troy Rosario, who was fouled in the 23rd minute. Ray Parks also missed the first game of the season with a calf strain.
“We are lucky to have won this game. We barely survived this game,” TNT coach Bong Ravena said after the game.
TNT’s offense fired blanks in the first quarter and made just five of 20 shots before allowing Alaska to take a 32-15 lead early in the second frame.
In search of answers, the Tropang Giga found one in the form of a red-hot Pogoy.
After failing to score in the first 12 minutes, Pogoy exploded for 21 points with 5 of 9 3s in the ensuing period. That included eight in a row to give TNT a 48-45 lead with 57 seconds left in the first half.
The swingman fell 10 more in the third and 14 in the pay period, but cooled down late in the fourth quarter after sustaining a cut over his left eye with more than two minutes left in the game.
Castro took over thereafter by scoring TNT’s final six points, including a dagger thrust with 27 seconds left and the final two free throws that effectively sealed the victory with 14 ticks remaining.
Pogoy, who also grabbed eight rebounds and two assists, shot 17 of 29 from the field and posted the highest-scoring game of any home since Stanley Pringle scored 50 for NorthPort in July 2018.
“We expected that from him. He always has to have the numbers. He needs to keep them every night,” Ravena said. “We’re lucky his numbers were there, him and Jayson.”
Abu Tratter led Alaska (0-1) with 17 points in the loss. DiGregorio and Robbie Herndon added 16, while Vic Manuel scored 15.
THE SCORES
TNT (100) – Pogoy 45, Castro 28, Rosario 9, Erram 4, De Leon 4, Enciso 2, Harvey 2, Reyes 2, Montalbo 0, You 0.
ALASKA (95) – Tratter 17, DiGregorio 16, Herndon 16, Manuel 15, Racal 8, Marcelino 5, Brondial 5, Ebona 4, Teng 3, Galliguez 2, Ayaay 2, Casio 2, Andrada 0.
Quarters: 15-30, 48-48, 71-72, 100-95.
EXTRA JARS
– Pogoy’s 10 3s tie the TNT record he set and are also the most since Chris Ross made 10 in Game 2 of the 2019 Commissioner’s Cup semifinals last year. His previous personal record in points was 38.
– Pogoy’s 45 is also the third highest in a game by a local TNT player, just behind Asi Taulava’s 49 (2003 Invitational) and 50 (Fiesta Cup 2004) in the franchise rankings.
– TNT attempted 78 shots, and more than half of them (48) came from three-point range.
NEXT GAMES
– TNT vs. Terrafirma on October 13 at 6:45 pm
– Alaska vs. Meralco on October 14 at 4 p.m.
