TNT seized control in the closing minutes of the opening quarter and held sway the rest of the way, pulling off a 95-89 win over a lethargic Barangay Ginebra team in the opener of their PBA Commissioner's Cup title showdown at the MOA Arena in Pasay City Friday.
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson was his usual all-around prolific self and the TNT gunners hit the target, complementing each other in a dominant performance that netted them the 1-0 upper hand in the race-to-four-games series.
What was expected to be a fierce duel to start the series turned to a one-sided affair with RHJ creating havoc with a near triple-double job with 34 points, 13 rebounds and eight assists, backed by the 14-of-37 three-pointers of the TNT shooters as against the mere 7-of-28 clip of the Gin Kings.
RR Pogoy rifled in five treys while Calvin Oftana, Kelly Williams, Rey Nambatac and Glenn Khobuntin fired two each in a hot TNT shooting that well made up for the absence of ace playmaker Jayson Castro.
Torrid shooting fueled TNT's early breakaway, then the Tropang Giga displayed poise, grace and staying power to sail through to a winning start in a journey towards possible back-to-back titles in PBA Season 49.
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"We knew Ginebra will make a run (in the second half) so we reminded the players to stay calm and expect it. That team is too good, too strong, too deep for us to have that kind of lead all throughout," said TNT coach Chot Reyes.
"When they made their run, we came back because the player got their composure and the rest was our defense," Reyes added.
But Reyes was not to be carried away by the relatively easy Game One triumph, anticipating a big Ginebra fightback in Game Two Sunday at the same Pasay City playing venue.
Pogoy finished with 15 points as Oftana and Nambatac added 10 apiece and Williams and Khobuntin eight each in their solid support to RHJ versus the Kings led by Justin Brownlee with 28 points and 15 rebounds.
Scottie Thompson, with 17 points, and RJ Abarrientos, with 13, were two other Ginebra players to finish in double figures.
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The Kings actually won the early skirmishes, enjoying control in the early minutes before the Tropang Giga cranked up and zoomed ahead, 29-18, after the first period.
From there, RHJ and his teammates did a good job to keep the Gin Kings at bay. (SB)
The scores
TNT 95 - Hollis-Jefferson 34, Pogoy 15, Oftana 10, Nambatac 10, Williams 8, Khobuntin 8, Erram 5, Aurin 5, Heruela 0, Razon 0.
Barangay Ginebra 89 - Brownlee 28, Thompson 17, Abarrientos 13, Holt 9, J. Aguilar 9, Rosario 8, Gray 3, Malonzo 2, Ahanmisi 0.
Quarterscores: 29-18, 55-39, 80-66, 95-89
