TNT unloads Pogoy, Castro, edges Alaska

Game today (Calasiao, Pangasinan)

5 p.m. – Ginebra vs NLEX

MANILA, Philippines - Jayson Castro and Roger Pogoy, the old and the new of the best in the TNT KaTropa cast, combined for 48 points and personally preserved their heroics with clutch hits, delivering a 107-106 victory over Alaska before leaving for Lebanon in the PBA Governors Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum last night.

Pogoy erupted for 16 of a career second-best 25 points in the fourth quarter while Castro rifled in a huge trey in the closing seconds to highlight a near triple-double job as the Texters bounced back from their 91-97 loss to San Miguel Beer Wednesday to tie Barangay Ginebra at 2-1.

Pogoy and Castro, members of Team Gilas competing in the FIBA Asia Cup in Lebanon, strung up three crucial three-pointers at endgame, spiking a 15-7 closing romp that carried the Texters past the Aces, who reeled to their fourth straight loss in the tournament and 12th overall from the last conference.

Castro scored 23 points, 10 assists and nine rebounds.

Mike Craig made 28 points before fouling out with 5:04 left to play while Troy Rosario contributed 15 markers, eight boards and two assists for the Texters, who spoiled Calvin Abueva’s return with the Alaska team.

LaDontae Henton and Abueva showed the way as the Aces dominated throughout before succumbing in the face of the Texters’ fiery windup.

“It’s all on our players. It’s the players that made the right plays. We just guided them. In the end, it’s them who made the big plays,” said TNT coach Nash Racela.

True enough, Pogoy, Castro and Ranidel de Ocampo barely salvaged the game after Alaska took full control in the first 44 minutes.

Later in the night, Star fashioned out its own come-from-behind triumph, wiping out an 11-point third-quarter deficit en route to a 104-98 spanking of a June Mar Fajardo-less San Miguel Beer side.

Malcolm Hill, Ian Sangalang, Rafi Reavis and Rodney Brondial delivered double-digit outputs as the Hotshots notched a third straight victory.

The scores:

First Game

TNT 107 – Craig 28, Pogoy 25, Castro 23, Rosario 15, De Ocampo 7, Williams 4, Garcia 3, Tautuaa 2, Carey 0, Hernandez 0, Semerad 0.

Alaska 106 – Henton 42, Abueva 19, Manuel 13, Banchero 12, Casio 6, Baclao 4, Enciso 4, Magat 2, Hontiveros 2, Racal 2, Exciminiano 0.

Quarterscores: 17-20, 38-47, 71-80, 107-106

Second Game

Star Hotshots 104 – Hill 20, Sangalang 18, Reavis 13, Brondial 10, Barroca 8, Maliksi 8, Lee 7, Dela Rosa 7, Melton 6, Ramos 5, Jalalon 2, Javier 0, Simon 0.

San Miguel 98 – McKines 27, Lassiter 24, Santos 19, Cabagnot 12, Ross 10, Ganuelas 4, Espinas 2, Heruela 0, Pessumal 0, Tubid 0, De Ocampo 0.

Quarterscores: 24-21, 50-55, 76-77, 104-98