Games today:
(Ynares Center)
3 p.m. — Phoenix vs Rain or Shine
6:15 p.m. — San Miguel Beer vs TNT
Juami Tiongson had no idea his step-back three-pointer would complete Terrafirma’s comeback from 19 points down in the third quarter to stun Blackwater.
“I really thought we were down by three. That’s why I was going for the three-point shot,” Tiongson said of his huge hit from the outside with the Dyip trailing by just two.
But his confusion turned into the biggest basket of the ballgame, drilling the game-winning trey with 12.5 seconds remaining as Terrafirma eked out a 92-91 escape to get back in the win column of the Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup on Saturday.
Tiongson made PBA’s return to the historic Rizal Memorial Coliseum Saturday after four decades quite exciting with his late heroics despite throwing bricks in the first half.
“When I made the shot, I was celebrating a bit and then my teammates were running towards me. I was thinking, ‘We’re still going into overtime right? Why are you celebrating already as if we already won the game. We still have five more minutes,’” Tiongson, who only had four points in the first two quarters said.
“I was surprised we won. I didn’t know.”
The Bossing, actually, still had a chance to save face despite having no more timeout after Tiongson made the basket but RK Ilagan’s three just bounced off the rim before Terrafirma burst into celebration.
The Dyip halted a two-game slide to improve to a 3-2 win-loss record tied with their victim.
Stephen Holt returned after skipping the last game due to a sore back and delivered a double-double of 21 points and 13 rebounds he spiked with two assists and one steal for Terrafirma.
Tiongson finished with 20 points, six boards and three assists while Isaac scored 13 of his 17-point output in the second half.
“I want to end up with the ball on Juami or Stephen because we want a good shot,” Dyip coach Johnedel Cardel said.
“Juami got the ball and he won the game for us. But of course, credit to all the players for working hard. We were down by 16 points in the first half. They played as a team, we were able to catch up and in the end we got the win.”
Rey Suerte gave the Bossing their biggest separation, 61-42, with 9:48 left in the third canto then Terrafirma slowly caught up. The Dyip hit six triples in the period to cut down their deficit to 73-77 heading into the final canto.
Go tied the game at 81 and the two teams engaged in a see-saw battle. Rey Nambatac split his free throws in the last 22.1 seconds to give Blackwater a 91-89 lead.
Troy Rosario had 23 points and eight rebounds, Ilagan had 15, Suerte added 12 while Bradwyn Guinto produced 10 points and seven boards for the Bossing, who lost back-to-back games after a 3-0 start.
Blackwater found its target in the first two quarters as it kept its distance from the sluggish Terrafirma to enter the halftime with a 54-38 lead.
Meanwhile, grand slam-seeking San Miguel Beer looks to carry the momentum of its strong start when it squares off with TNT today at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City.
The reigning champions debuted on a high note with a 109-97 beating of winless Rain or Shine last Friday to open their all-Filipino campaign after reigning supreme in the Commissioner’s Cup.
Now the Beermen seek a fitting follow up in their 6:15 p.m. clash before league action takes a ceasefire to give way for the All-Star and Holy Week break.
San Miguel head coach Jorge Gallent liked what he saw on his team’s opening day as his second unit dropped 74 points led by Jericho Cruz and June Mar Fajardo, who got back into action after recovering from a calf injury he sustained in the finals series against Magnolia.
Still, Gallent doesn’t want the Beermen to get ahead of themselves.
“We just do it ladder by ladder. We’re not thinking above the ladder, he said.
