TNT climbs back from 18 points down to oust defending champ Magnolia

TNT’s Jayson Castro drives through the Magnolia defense in a PBA Governors’ Cup quarterfinal game on Monday, November 25, 2019. | PBA Images

MANILA, Philippines—TNT erased an 18-point deficit to scrape past and dethrone defending champion Magnolia, 98-97, in the 2019 PBA Governors’ Cup quarterfinals Monday night at Araneta Coliseum in Cubao.

Ray Parks hit two pressure-packed free throws in the final six seconds of the contest while Jayson Castro delivered a team-best 30 points on top of seven assists as the KaTropa booked a trip to the semifinals.

KJ McDaniels, who collected 25 points and 17 rebounds, also came up big down the stretch as he emphatically erased Romeo Travis’ shot that ended the Hotshots’ title-retention bid.

“We didn’t expect we’d come back,” said KaTropa coach Bong Ravena. “Hard work pulled us through.”

“We’re really a totally different team with him around,” Ravena said of his playmaker Castro, who just made his second game back from a calf injury.

TNT faces sister team Meralco in the semifinals, which will tipoff after the Southeast Asian Games.

“They’re at their peak, they on a roll, so we have to take care of business and be ready (come game time),” said Ravena of Meralco.

Travis led all scorers with 32 points while Rome dela Rosa had 13 for the Hotshots.

The scores:

TNT 98 – Castro 30, McDaniels 25, Rosario 12, Reyes 10, Pogoy 8, Parks 7, Digregorio 6, Williams 0.

Magnolia 97 – Travis 32, Dela Rosa 13, Jalalon 12, Lee 11, Barroca 9, Banchero 8, Sangalang 7, Pingris 4, Melton 1, Reavis 0.

Quarterscores: 22-26, 48-54, 68-80, 98-97.