BINAN, Laguna: For a non-bearing game, TNT KaTropa certainly played as hard as it could.
Mychal Ammons fired 24 points and grabbed 16 boards, and Jason Castro was, as usual, brilliant all around as the Texters played with a lot of fire on Sunday night to clip Barangay Ginebra, 104-92, and claim top ranking in the PBA Governors’ Cup playoffs before a packed crowd at the Alonte Sports Center here.
Coming into the game averaging just 15 points a night, Ammons was at his explosive best, even coming up with a number of rim-rattling slams that silenced the pro-Ginebra crowd.
The victory, the Texters’ fourth straight, gave TNT a closing 10-1 record after the eliminations, and the right to play the No. 8 team in the first round of the playoffs, needing to win just once to march on to the Final Four.
It was supposed to be a no-bearing game, with both squads already assured of twice-to-beat privileges in the quarterfinals. But losing would mean clashing with powerhouse defending champion San Miguel Beer in the semifinals, which TNT avoided.
The Beermen closed out their elimination round assignment on a winning note, tripping Blackwater, 107-101, in the appetizer.
Blackwater, the first casualty of the season-ending conference, exited with a 1-10 record, losing its last nine games in yet another forgettable campaign. Unlike fellow sophomore squad Mahindra, the Elite have yet to make it past the eliminations in their first six conferences in the league.
TNT will play the winner of the Rain or Shine vs Phoenix Petroleum match on Wednesday at the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, while the Gin Kings slipped to 8-3 with the loss, tied with the Beermen, who bagged No. 2 by virtue of the winner-over-the-other rule.
That means that San Miguel will be taking on the Alaska Aces and the Gin Kings the NLEX Road Warriors in the quarterfinals, which starts on Thursday.
Another KO match, between the Enforcers and the Meralco Bolts, will also take place on Wednesday for No. 4 ranking, with the winner availing of the last twice-to-beat privilege.
Interestingly enough, Meralco and Mahindra will also be paired in the quarterfinals, with the winner of their clash on Wednesday to own a win-once advantage in their next collision.
Castro, voted in the last two Fiba Asia Championships as the region’s best point guard, finished with 19 points, 10 assists and four rebounds in an error-free 34-minute job, hitting a triple with under three minutes left that quelled a Ginebra uprising, 98-85.
“Both teams played to win (this no-bearing game),” said TNT coach Jong Uichico. “It just happened that we played a little bit better (than Ginebra).”
A little bit better was an understatement as Uichico got a total of four players in twin digits, with Michael Madanly shooting 18 built around four triples, and Larry Fonacier firing 14, nine of them coming from three-pointers.
Justin Brownlee led the Gin Kings with 34 points and 14 rebounds, with LA Tenorio shooting 21 and Japeth Aguilar the third man in twin digits for coach Tim Cone with 11.
“The players are tired and I tried keeping them fresh,” Uichico said as he made sure that he had no one playing more than 34 minutes. “We will wait for whoever it is (that we play) and make the most of it.”
Meanwhile, Elijah Millsap fired 25 points and had 13 rebounds in his first game returning as San Miguel’s import, helping the Beermen fend off the Elite, who were determined to bow out in style.
San Miguel blew a 17-point lead in the first half and needed to dig deep in the fourth, something which could help the Beermen in the playoffs as they stayed sharp.
Arwind Santos had 19 points and June Mar Fajardo 18 and the two, who have won the last three MVP awards, combined for 15 rebounds.
TNT KaTropa thwarts Ginebra for No. 1 spot
TNT KaTropa thwarts Ginebra for No. 1 spot
