De Ocampo nails game-winner as TNT escapes GlobalPort's comeback bid

PBA

By Ivan Saldajeno

QUEZON CITY--On a night when Terrence Romeo and Jayson Castro went full throttle, Ranidel De Ocampo stole the show.

De Ocampo nailed the game-winning jumper as TNT evaded a late comeback by GlobalPort for a 122-120 win in their PBA Governors' Cup clash at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Wednesday.

Castro actually helped in De Ocampo's shining moment as he went for a successful drive-and-kick that left the latter wide open for the deep deuce with 6.6 seconds left as the KaTropa survived a furious rally by the Batang Pier.

GlobalPort slowly crawled back from TNT's hot first half which featured 35-point outputs in each of the first two quarters and a 23-point lead and tied the game, 120-all, on back-to-back layups by Stanley Pringle with 41.7 seconds remaining.

Castro actually had the first chance of giving the KaTropa the lead again only to see his three-point try rimming out, but Larry Fonacier grabbed the offensive rebound and called for a timeout that gave Coach Jong Uichico the chance to map out De Ocampo's heroics.

Pringle tried to go for his own drive-and-kick intended for Jay Washington, but his pass was too strong and turned the ball over even as the KaTropa just milked the last 2.2 seconds of the game.

Castro finished with 37 points, four rebounds, eight assists, and one steal, outdueling Romeo, who had 33 points, six rebounds, and seven assists.

Box Scores:

TNT 122-Castro 37, De Ocampo 17, Fonacier 14, R. Reyes 11, Madanly 10, Williams 8, Ammons 7, Rosales 7, Tautuaa 6, Rosario 5, Carey 0, Rosser 0

GlobalPort 120-Glover 38, Romeo 33, Pringle 25, Washington 9, Taha 5, Salvacion 3, Semerad 3, Dehesa 2, Yeo 2, Mamaril 0

Quarterscores: 35-18, 70-52, 96-86, 122-120

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