Game Wednesday (Smart Araneta Coliseum)
7 p.m. – San Miguel vs TNT KaTropa
MANILA, Philippines - Josh Smith showed admirable courage in playing through pain and the TNT KaTropa Texters, taking the cue from their import, delivered the death blow on the Barangay Ginebra Kings, 122-109, to set up a finals showdown with the San Miguel Beermen in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup last night at the Cuneta Astrodome.
Smith, enduring a slight ligament tear, helped TNT regain the lead midway through the fourth then Jayson Castro and Kelly Williams took over, leading the way in a decisive closing flurry that carried the Texters to a first finals in six conferences.
Almost all the Texters and the TNT coaching staff approached Smith for a warm embrace at the buzzer of what could be his last game in the tourney.
His condition will be assessed to see if he can take the rigors of the best-of-seven finale starting Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. TNT has flown in a standby import in Mike Myers. Also expected to arrive soon is Mike Craig, the team’s import for the Commissioner’s Cup.
“Just everything is on their favor, but I know it’s the Lord’s favor that really matters. Our focus and composure helped us through,” said Nash Racela, a rookie coach leading the Texters to a first finals since their 2015 Commissioner’s Cup title run.
Smith went in and out of the floor, contributing 18 points, five rebounds and two assists as he certainly helped get TNT in a position to deliver the kill on the Gin Kings.
The Texters, bearing a patch of No. 34 on their uniform in tribute to their import, unleashed a vicious 24-6 closing romp to finish the best-of-five semifinal series in four games.
They took Game One at 100-94 and Game Two at 107-103, before suffering a 101-125 blowout loss as Smith sustained his injury early in Game Three.
Castro played like an import, scattering a career third-best output of 38 points that went with 11 assists and seven rebounds as he led the Texters to a 17th finals and a fourth title showdown with the Beermen.
San Miguel holds a 2-1 edge, breaking the 1-1 tie in the 2011 Governors Cup where the Beermen foiled the Texters’ grand slam bid.
Williams collected double-double numbers with 14 points and 12 rebounds while Ryan Roose Garcia and RR Pogoy chipped in 16 and 13 points, respectively, for the Texters who were greatly inspired by Smith from their practice session Friday.
“I’m hurt but it will hurt me more if I don’t play tomorrow,” said Smith in his inspiring message.
Still, the Texters went through a tough battle before hitting a real good rhythm on both ends in the last seven minutes of the game.
In that stretch, the Texters hit from afar and on daring attacks to the baskets and held the Kings to a single field goal basket on the defensive end.
Castro and Garcia combined for 29 points while Japeth Aguilar and LA Tenorio pooled together 30 points as they led their teams’ stands in the frenetic first half ending with TNT on top at 66-63.
The scores:
TNT 122 – Castro 38, Smith 18, Garcia 16, Williams 14, Pogoy 13, De Ocampo 9, Semerad 5, Tautuaa 4, Reyes 3, Rosales 2, Rosario 0.
GINEBRA 109 – Aguilar 31, Brownlee 25, Tenorio 20, Devance 14, Thompson 10, Ellis 6, Marcelo 2, Mercado 1, Ferrer 0.
Quarterscores: 29-35, 66-63, 95-92, 122-109.