TERRAFIRMA's last mission was possible after all.
Behind some torrid shooting from Mark Nonoy, the Dyip bowed out of the PBA Commissioner's Cup with a bang by striking down the TNT Tropang Giga anew, 117-108, Wednesday at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.
Nonoy scored a career-high 33 points, anchored on clips of 2-of-3 from the four-point arc and 5-of-6 in 3-pointers, in leading Terrafirma's sustained charge in the two middle quarters where it outscored TNT, 74-42, to take a 99-70 spread into the last 12 minutes of play.
The southpaw rookie's second four-pointer stretched the difference to 103-72, before the Dyip's usual tendency to go flat surfaced anew and allowed the Tropa to chip away at their deficit to what it was in the end.
Still, there was no denying the joy coach Raymond Tiongco felt as his Terrafirma side avoided a 12-game shutout in his first time at the helm while taking his turn claiming TNT's scalp.
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"We made our shots kanina kaya siguro maganda rin 'yung inilaro namin," said Tiongco, former head coach Johnedel Cardel's chief assistant when Terrafirma also shocked TNT for their only win in the last Governors' Cup.
"From the outside we were good, pati 'yung inside plays namin," added Tiongco. "Nakuha naming off-guard 'yung TNT. We made our shots, especially Nonoy, nu'ng nag-run kami. Natapatan namin 'yung run nila."
"Sobrang thankful ako sa coaches at sa teammates ko," said Nonoy, whose PBA entry was delayed until after his commitment with another team in a separate league ended only last October.
"Kumbaga up and down 'yung team namin. 'Yung iba nawawalan na ng gana pero kumbaga may leader sa amin na 'last push na ito,' itong last game namin," added the 24-year-old. "Ayun nga, pinagkatiwalaan kami ng coaches at nag-respond din kami as a team."
The Tropa saw their six-game winning streak cut short as they fell to 6-3 and dropped all the way down from first to fifth in the team standings.
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Rondae Hollis Jefferson led all scorers with 41 points on top of 10 rebounds, but the usual support expected from the likes of Calvin Oftana, RR Pogoy and Rey Nambatac came too few and far-between as TNT saw an early 18-9 lead evaporate.
In contrast, four other Terrafirma players scored in double digits with Brandon Edwards adding 19 points, 12 rebounds and six assists, Louie Sangalang throwing in 16 points and Aljun Melecio and Kemark Carino chipping in 10 points apiece.
Even Kevin Ferrer scored nine points while accounting for three of the Dyip's 14 triples.
Mainly, however, the Dyip drew inspiration from Nonoy, who alternated with Melecio in leading them from a 25-28 deficit and into a 61-50 halftime lead.
Taking heart and momentum from the surge, Terrafirma poured on more heat in the third canto which Nonoy capped with a buzzer-beating four-pointer. (NC)
The Scores :
TERRAFIRMA 117 - Nonoy 33, Edwards 19, Sangalang 16, Carino 10, Melecio 10, Ferrer 9, Pringle 8, Manuel 6, Hernandez 4, Catapusan 2, Hanapi 0.
TNT 108 - Hollis-Jefferson 41, Oftana 17, Nambatac 12, Castro 11, Pogoy 9, Galinato 5, Erram 5, Razon 4, Khobuntin 2, Aurin 2, Payawal 0, Williams 0, Varilla 0.
QUARTERS : 25-28, 61-50, 99-70, 117-108
