PBA

Jayson Castro, Ryan Reyes flash vintage form as TNT routs Ginebra behind 21 triples

Seasoned guards Jayson Castro and Ryan Reyes showed vintage form to steer TNT past Barangay Ginebra, 119-92, for their second win in a row in the 2021 PBA Governors' Cup on Friday.

Rookie Mikey Williams scored a team-high 26 points on 4-of-10 shooting from three-point range while Reyes showed his lethal shooting as well with 24 markers, including eight triples.

Castro, who had seemed like he would miss this game after hurting his shoulder during the game against San Miguel the other day, defied the odds and provided a big spark off the bench with 18 points, four assists, and three rebounds.

The win handed TNT, who collectively shot 21-of-39 on three-point attempts, its second consecutive win after escaping the Beermen last Wednesday.

The victory could also be a morale booster for TNT, whose core will reinforce the Gilas Pilipinas national team come the February window of the 2023 FIBA World Cup Asian Qualifiers starting on the 24th of February.

The wards of TNT head coach Chot Reyes were quick to set the tone early, firing 13 huge triples in the first half alone with Williams scoring 20 of his overall output to help the Tropang Giga establish a 60-53 lead.

Shots just continued to pour in for TNT in the second half with Reyes, Castro, and youngster Kib Montalbo combining for seven triples in the third frame, which ended with them extending their lead to 20, 94-74.

It was all TNT in the payoff period with Glenn Khobuntin dropping another triple for a 104-76 cushion. A split from the free throw line from big man Dave Marcelo, 119-89, allowed TNT to take a 30-point lead with less than a minute left in the game.

Ginebra slumped to 3-3 behind a three-game losing skid.

The Scores:

TNT 119 - M. Williams 26, Reyes 24, Castro 18, Fuller 13, Montalbo 9, Khobuntin 9, Banal 5, Heruela 4, Rosario 4, Marcelo 3, Ganuelas-Rosser 2, K. Williams 2, Cruz 0, Erram 0, Alejandro 0.

Ginebra 92 - Brownlee 25, Aguilar 18, Standhardinger 16, Thompson 11, Tolentino 9, Tenorio 5, Pinto 4, Chan 2, Caperal 1, Enriquez 1, Ayaay 0.

Quarterscores: 34-28, 60-53, 94-74, 119-92.

—JMB, GMA News