By Michael Angelo S. Murillo
THE TNT KaTropa and Rain or Shine Elasto Painters go at it for the last time this season as they settle once and for all who between them get to secure a semifinal spot in their quarterfinal pairing in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Governors’ Cup.
Failed to advance outright in their first try on Wednesday, the KaTropa now use their second attempt from a twice-to-beat incentive they got for finishing in the top four in the elimination round as they collide anew with the E-Painters in the lone quarterfinal game today at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
TNT tried hard to make short work of Rain or Shine up to the end but the latter was not a willing party to it in the first game as it put up a gallant stand against its higher-seeded opponent.
Import J’Nathan Bullock was solid for the E-Painters as he finished with 31 points and 15 rebounds in their 106-102 win that saw them needing to dig deep to stave off a ferocious rally from the KaTropa in the end.
Gabe Norwood also came up big for Rain or Shine with a near triple-double of 15 points, nine boards and six dimes while Raymond Almazan had 13 points and eight rebounds.
Off the bench, Chris Tiu and Don Trollano also provided a spark with 10 points apiece.
TNT, for its part, was led by Kelly Williams, who had 23 points and 10 rebounds.
Jayson Castro wound up with 22 points and six assists and import Glen Rice Jr. had 19 points, 10 rebounds and six assists.
Anthony Semerad added 19 points and Troy Rosario 10 points and a team-high 16 rebounds.
While they admitted to being “disappointed” over not being able to finish things at the first instance, the KaTropa are not totally down on themselves as they get another chance at redemption in today’s game.
On the part of the E-Painters, they said they recognize that their work is not yet over and that they have to be ready for the bounce back attack of TNT.
“We just extended the series. I told the guys that if we wanted to stay alive we needed the win. I believe we can match up well with TNT, from the import to the locals. And it all boils down to the defensive end,” said Rain or Shine coach Caloy Garcia in the postgame press conference.
“We have to prepare for Friday’s game. Maybe do something they haven’t seen from us,” he added.
As of this writing, only two teams so far have book a spot in the semifinals, namely, the Star Hotshots, who eliminated the NLEX Road Warriors last Tuesday, and the defending champions Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings, who ended the grand slam aspirations of the San Miguel Beermen in their own quarterfinal matchup on Wednesday.
Later yesterday the top-seeded Meralco Bolts were set to face the eighth-seeded Blackwater Elite in their own do-or-die match for the right to advance to the next round.
The semifinals of the season-ending PBA tournament will be a best-of-five affair and begins on Sunday.