Shorthanded Tropang Giga ripped by Jets
MANILA, Philippines — Despite the presence of the prolific Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Quincy Miller, the manpower shortage and overall lack of match fitness proved too much for TNT.
The Tropang Giga, playing without key players Calvin Oftana (on a break after the Asian Games campaign), Roger Pogoy (health), Poy Erram (injury) and Mikey Williams (vacation), tumbled to a 75-93 defeat to the Chiba Jets at the start of the East Asia Super League Season 2 Wednesday night in Japan.
The Jets, runners-up in the Japan B. League, dropped a 26-12 bomb in the third quarter to break away from the reigning PBA Governors’ Cup titlist coming off a slim one-point edge.
The home squad banked on a sizzling 10-of-21 shooting from beyond the arc in the second half to take the fight out of TNT in the Group A opener.
Overall, Chiba knocked down 16 triples out of 39 attempts for a 41 percent clip from deep – far better than TNT’s 6-of-27 and 22 percent long-distance touch.
Hollis-Jefferson, suiting up just five days after Jordan placed second to Gilas Pilipinas in the Asian Games in Hangzhou, China, finished with 15 points, nine rebounds, and five assists to back up Miller’s 22.
RHJ struggled with a 6-of-28 field goal and missed all nine of his three-point attempts.
TNT coach Jojo Lastimosa said game shape level, more than the missing players, did the Tropang Giga in.
“When I was asked at half time what my concerns were in the second half, I said stamina was going to be a big question for us. Obviously, we played really well in the first half. We stayed with them, both on offense and defense. But, in the second half, we lost our stamina,” he said.
“We’re only two weeks into our practice and our season in the Philippines won’t start until Nov. 5. So we are two weeks in, and Rondae just came in yesterday without any practice. So there are a lot of things going on also. But we will be really good down the stretch if we get in shape.”
Ira Brown, a former San Miguel Beer import, led Chiba with 19 points and 12 rebounds, providing the muscle inside.
TNT will try to get back at the Jets when they meet again in Manila on Nov. 1.
