PBA: 2nd half turnaround gives TNT vital win vs SMB

Nick Hornsby continues to shine for TNT. PBA Images

By Ivan Saldajeno

MANILA—TNT stifled San Miguel in the second half to secure a 116-98 win in their PBA Governors' Cup game on Saturday night at the Ynares Center 1 in Antipolo.

With both teams engaging in a shootout in the first half, the Tropang 5G upped their defense in the second half, holding the Beermen to just 33 points after they dropped 65 24 minutes in.

Nick Hornsby led TNT, now 2-0 after the long Gilas Pilipinas window and 6-4 overall, with 23 points, six rebounds, four assists, and three steals.

RR Pogoy added 21 points on 8 of 16 shooting including 5 of 9 from three-point range, three rebounds, three assists, and two steals that increased his career total to 501, making him the latest member of the league's 500 Steals Club.

Still in trouble of not making the quarterfinals entering the Gilas break, TNT can book its place in the Top 8 round with a win against also-ran Macau on Tuesday night at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

CJ Perez put up 21 points, three rebounds, two assists, and two steals for SMB, which missed out on a chance to tie NLEX at the top of Group A and instead fell to 7-3.

George King added 20 points, four rebounds, six assists, and two blocks, but he too committed five turnovers.

In his first PBA game back since announcing his retirement from Gilas Pilipinas, June Mar Fajardo had 14 points on 5-for-7 shooting, 18 rebounds, one assist, one block, and two steals, but he also had five errors.