TNT Reveals Heart of Champions; trashes Petron 104-78
In what should be considered as another blockbuster and high quality basketball atmosphere in Filipino basketball standards, the Talk 'n' Text Tropang Texters were able to salvage a blowout loss versus the recently fancied Petron Blaze Boosters.
Though the Boosters started the game hot behind arguably the best local talent in the PBA today Arwind Santos, TNT was quick to counter by pulling out a jittery Kelly Williams and sacrificing rebounding in favor of Jayson Castro (who was a game time decision) and his blitzkrieg scoring.
And blitzkrieg it was. Castro, who has long built his reputation as an attack point guard was literally raining ice cold buckets on the confused Boosters. Either he was dropping bombs from the outside, or slashing hard into the paint and dishing out bullet kick-out passes, the man was flat-out Derrick Rose-esque unstoppable.
From then on, the Boosters didn't know what to do on defense and their game fell apart. It also helped that TNT, which gambled on Game 6 replacement Maurice Baker over the ineffective Scottie Reynolds, held his counterpart Anthony Grundy to an abysmal scoring night.
Credit should go to TNT's Castro for his superhuman effort despite a rumored MCL tear and also to another unsung hero, Ryan Reyes, who was clearly limping but was seen in several instances battling through screens and just holding his own against Grundy.
Now I know why the Boosters enjoyed a 3-2 series lead prior to today's pivotal Game 6. Reyes and Castro, TNT's best guards today (I'm sorry Jimmy Alapag fans including myself) are playing hurt. There's a difference when you're running a short rotation of healthy guys (as Petron does) and playing your stars while they're at 60% capacity.
Had Reyes and Castro been healthy to start the series, I believe that this would've been over in 4 or 5 games.
Hat's off to Ranidel de Ocampo, who still plays like a SG and must be the cause of Coach Chot Reyes' constant frustrations. Danny Ildefonso is the best big man in this series in the paint, but if RDO decided to play closer to the basket instead of waiting for kick-out threes, he won't be so bad in there as well.
Fortunately for him, his shots were falling and that someone probably got on his case during halftime because he was grabbing rebounds and boxing out more in the second half rather than the first.
But here we are, looking forward to Game 7. A fitting end to the return of the Governor's Cup, with a great and competitive match-up that will decide the Grandslam hopes of one team, and the valiant stand of a depleted one.
Oh yeah, I called it. I said that TNT will win via blowout and they did. Hopefully, the don't spoil the fun I'm having with my predictions, make me look like a basketball blogging genius and win on Sunday.
Either way, I'm having fun watching the games and just being a true blue PBA fan.
Though the Boosters started the game hot behind arguably the best local talent in the PBA today Arwind Santos, TNT was quick to counter by pulling out a jittery Kelly Williams and sacrificing rebounding in favor of Jayson Castro (who was a game time decision) and his blitzkrieg scoring.
And blitzkrieg it was. Castro, who has long built his reputation as an attack point guard was literally raining ice cold buckets on the confused Boosters. Either he was dropping bombs from the outside, or slashing hard into the paint and dishing out bullet kick-out passes, the man was flat-out Derrick Rose-esque unstoppable.From then on, the Boosters didn't know what to do on defense and their game fell apart. It also helped that TNT, which gambled on Game 6 replacement Maurice Baker over the ineffective Scottie Reynolds, held his counterpart Anthony Grundy to an abysmal scoring night.
Credit should go to TNT's Castro for his superhuman effort despite a rumored MCL tear and also to another unsung hero, Ryan Reyes, who was clearly limping but was seen in several instances battling through screens and just holding his own against Grundy.
Now I know why the Boosters enjoyed a 3-2 series lead prior to today's pivotal Game 6. Reyes and Castro, TNT's best guards today (I'm sorry Jimmy Alapag fans including myself) are playing hurt. There's a difference when you're running a short rotation of healthy guys (as Petron does) and playing your stars while they're at 60% capacity.
Had Reyes and Castro been healthy to start the series, I believe that this would've been over in 4 or 5 games.
Hat's off to Ranidel de Ocampo, who still plays like a SG and must be the cause of Coach Chot Reyes' constant frustrations. Danny Ildefonso is the best big man in this series in the paint, but if RDO decided to play closer to the basket instead of waiting for kick-out threes, he won't be so bad in there as well.
Fortunately for him, his shots were falling and that someone probably got on his case during halftime because he was grabbing rebounds and boxing out more in the second half rather than the first.
But here we are, looking forward to Game 7. A fitting end to the return of the Governor's Cup, with a great and competitive match-up that will decide the Grandslam hopes of one team, and the valiant stand of a depleted one.
Oh yeah, I called it. I said that TNT will win via blowout and they did. Hopefully, the don't spoil the fun I'm having with my predictions, make me look like a basketball blogging genius and win on Sunday.
Either way, I'm having fun watching the games and just being a true blue PBA fan.
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