MANILA — TNT scored a huge fourth quarter blast to turn back NorthPort, 104-102, in the PBA Governors’ Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City on Sunday night.
The KaTropa recovered from the Batang Pier’s hot first half and completed the comeback with a Marqus Blakely layup with 6.8 seconds left.
Blakely then picked Mo Tautuaa’s pass for the game-saving swipe.
Blakely finished with 23 points, 11 rebounds, four assists, two steals, and one block, while Terrence Romeo led TNT, which outscored NorthPort, 33-15, in the final 12 minutes, with 25 points, two rebounds, eight assists, and three steals.
Tautuaa (18 points and 14 rebounds), Rashad Woods (19 points and 11 rebounds), and Stanley Pringle (18 points and 12 rebounds) each tallied double-doubles for the Batang Pier. Pringle even flirted with a triple-double after dishing nine assists.
However, they once again blew a huge lead, letting a 23-point advantage go away, although they came close to forcing overtime after Paolo Taha soared high for the tip-in on Sean Anthony’s missed free throw only to let Blakely soar for his game-winning lay-in. ( Ivan Stewart Saldajeno/PNA)
