TNT, Meralco face

off tonight in Game 2
By Adrian Stewart Co

After taking Game 1 of their 2019 PBA Governors’ Cup semifinal series against the Meralco Bolts with a 103-94 win over the weekend at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City, the TNT KaTropa will be hoping to go up 2-0 in the best-of-five series as the two sides meet in Game 2 tonight at 7:00 p.m. at the same venue.
KJ McDaniels posted a double-double in Game 1 for TNT with 38 points and 14 rebounds, while Roger Pogoy contributed 18 points, and Jayson Castro added 17.
The Bolts dictated the tempo early on as they surged to a 13-7 start but it was quickly erased after the KaTropa took a 17-15 edge. However, Meralco later rallied and took a 25-22 lead.
Into the second period, the Bolts remained ahead at 32-30 but, after banking on McDaniels, Bobby Ray Parks, Jr., and Michael Digregorio, the KaTropa took a 47-41 halftime edge.
TNT carried their momentum into the third period with triples from Pogoy, along with inside conversions from McDaniels and Troy Rosario, to establish a 77-61 advantage. They went on to build their largest lead at 88-67 off a free throw by McDaniels.
While the Bolts went for a late rally, they only got as close as nine points.
Allen Durham tallied 32 points and 21 rebounds for Meralco, while Chris Newsome added 14 markers./ASC, WDJ