RANGED against a formidable TNT side now ably assisted by new team manager Jojo Lastimosa, an erstwhile NLEX deputy, coach Yeng Guiao managed to pull off an ace off his sleeves last night.
Don Trollano played the hero’s role, knocking down a clutch jumper with 2.2 seconds to go that propelled the Road Warriors to a nail-biting 90-89 victory over the Tropang Giga for their second win in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.
Off its last timeout, TNT went to Jayson Castro, but his three-pointer failed to make its mark at the buzzer, to the delight of NLEX which roared back from a 12-point fourth quarter deficit behind Kevin Alas and Calvin Oftana, who wore a protective mask after suffering a nasal fracture in practice following a collision with teammate Paul Varilla.
Action resumes today, with San Miguel Beer eyeing the solo lead when it battles Magnolia at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.
The match is set at 6 p.m. after winless teams Phoenix and Terrafirma square off for a breakthrough win in the curtain-raiser at 3 o’clock.
Oftana scattered 20 points, to go with four rebounds and three assists for the Road Warriors, while Kevin Alas wound up with 16 markers, seven boards, and six dimes.
Trollano finished with 11 and six as NLEX redeemed itself from a 92-100 loss to San Miguel Beer last Friday and improved to 2-1 in a tie with NorthPort.
The Tropang Giga, coming off a similarly 86-83 escape over Converge last Sunday, absorbed their second defeat in four starts.
Road Warriors coach Yeng Guiao admitted having Lastimosa on the other side gave his charges fits.
“We expected naman na magiging mahirap ang laban namin sa TNT, defending champion sila and isa pa sa nagpahirap sa amin sa preparations ay we knew we were well scouted kasi nandoon na si coach Jolas (Lastimosa),” Guiao said.
“Alam niya ang system namin inside and outside, so iyon nga ang sinabi ni Kevin, what we did in practice was do something differently doon sa two, three days na practice na iyon, mahirap talagang gumawa ng adjustments sa mga bagay na ginagawa mo ng matagal,” he added.
NLEX trailed 45-52 at the half and 66-74 going into the final stanza.
A Roger Pogoy breakaway layup gave TNT what seemed like a commanding 78-66 lead at the 10:53 mark of the fourth quarter.
The Road Warriors went on a 7-2 blitz capped by an Alas free throw that gave NLEX an 88-87 cushion before Troy Rosario’s basket made it 89-88, only 8.0 ticks left.
Pogoy paced the Tropang Giga with 28 points and two rebounds, while Rosario, JP Erram, and Kelly Williams had 11 each.
