PBA: TNT vents ire on Titan Ultra as Heading, Pogoy return

TNT poured in all its frustrations to Titan Ultra, pulling off a 114-80 win to return to its winning ways in the PBA Season 50 Governors' Cup on Saturday at the Ynares Center in Montalban.

The defending champions stepped on the gas right from the get-go and never looked back to barge back to the win column days after losing narrowly to Group A leader NLEX.

Jordan Heading came back after missing the last two games, exploding for 23 points this time while also grabbing five assists and two rebounds while Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser and import Rahlir Hollis-Jefferson posted 19 markers each to help TNT improve to 4-3.

Rey Nambatac chipped in 14 points while Kim Aurin stepped up anew with 12 markers and seven boards as TNT continued to miss the services of gunner Calvin Oftana.

RR Pogoy, who also missed a couple of games, returned to action and finished with four points, three assists, and two rebounds.

"We did a concerted effort to focus on defense and I thought even when we lost to NLEX, we played a great defense except we could not just put enough points on the board because we didn't have Jordan and Roger," TNT head coach Chot Reyes.

"Thankfully, tonight we have them both and Brandon is slowly coming back to shape. It was a big thing that we have an almost complete roster."

Titan Ultra, who was coming off a skid-ending win against Macau, did try to come back behind star rookie Bryan Sajonia, whose jumper early in the fourth pulled the GIant Risers to within 14, 86-72, after trailing by as much as 32.

However, TNT answered with a 16-4 rampage behind a collective effort to close out the game and sink Titan Ultra to its sixth loss in eight games.

Scores:

TNT 114 – Heading 23, Ganuelas-Rosser 19, Hollis-Jefferson 19, Nambatac 14, Aurin 12, Ferrer 9, Galkinato 4, Pogoy 4, Jalalon 2, Erram 2, Quitevis 2, Khobuntin 2.

Titan Ultra 80 – Brown 14,Balanza 13, Sajonia 13, Sumang 8, Munzon 7, Caralipio 6, Wong 4, Yu 3, Dionisio 2, Cuntapay 0, Javillonar 0, Amores 0, Pessumal 0.

Quarters: 34-21, 60-44, 82-60, 114-80.

—JKC, GMA News