By Argie Paul Candare
Jayson Castro turned back the hands of time and scored all of his 20 points in the closing half to power the TNT Tropang Giga to an 81-77 victory over gritty Alaska Aces in the 2021 PBA Governors’ Cup on Friday.
The 35-year-old Castro, nicknamed the “Blur”, enchanted the Smart Araneta Coliseum crowd as he managed to also grab five rebounds to go with six assists. Mikey Williams, struggling with a 5-of-13 shooting, pinched in 12 points and three boards.
The Giga, who only got 13 markers from reinforcement Mckenzie Moore, were able to recover after putting up nine points in the opening salvo as they started their comeback in the next quarters. By the third, they tied the match at 62-all after a late-clock incursion by Castro.
Alaska, which lost previously to Barangay Ginebra, got 29 points, 18 rebounds and two assists from burly import Olu Ashaolu.
Jeron Teng also contributed 13 markers for the Aces, who now hold a two-game losing skid in a 2-2 card. Meanwhile, the PBA 3×3 Lakas Ng Tatlo is now down to its final leg, with Limitless App in a position to achieve a feat something four teams before it failed to accomplish.
The Appmasters try to become the first team to win consecutive leg championships as the first conference of the standalone, three-a-side tournament winds down on Dec. 20 and 21 with the holding of its sixth and final leg at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Brandon Rosser, Jorey Napoles, Marvin Hayes, and Reymar Caduyac powered Limitless App to the Leg 5 crown last week by edging out TNT Tropang Giga in the winner-take-all finals, 14-13.
Now they gun for a back-to-back championship in the final leg up for grabs in the conference finale presented by 1Pacman Party List.
TNT won the maiden leg, Meralco claimed the second, followed by Sista Super Sealers, and Purefoods TJ Titans, but none among them managed to make it two-in-a-row.
The Appmasters hope to be the first to do so in a bid to boost their campaign heading to the Dec. 29 grand finale at the Big Dome also backed by House Deputy Speaker and NorthPort owner Mikee Romero.
The grand finals feature the top 10 teams based on their accumulated points at the conclusion of the six-leg tournament.
Fans are also welcome to watch the games live as long as they are fully vaccinated. Those going to the Big Dome are required to present their vaccination card one valid government ID at the gates.