UNDERMANNED TNT Tropang Giga put up a brave stand in the opening half before losing to B-League runner-up Chiba Jets, 75-93, at the start of the East Asia Super League (EASL) Season 2 before a big opening-day crowd at the Funabashi Arena in Japan.

Former NBA player Quincy Miller finished with a game-high 22 points, while Rondae Hollis-Jefferson added 15 points, nine rebounds, and five assists for the Tropang Giga, who led 41-35 late in the second quarter.

The Filipinos, however, had no answer when the Japanese unleashed a decisive 23-8 scoring run bridging the second and third quarters to turn the game around.

Led by Japanese-American Iran Brown, DJ Stephens and sharpshooter Ren Kanechica, the Jets took the lead for good, 58-49 following the long scoring run and never looked back.

Brown, who played for San Miguel Beer in the PBA, and Stephens led Chiba finished with 19 points each.

Kanechica added 18 points, including six of the Jets’ 16 three-pointers.

Yuki Togashi, team captain of the Japan national team in the FIBA World Cup 2023 that earned a ticket to the 2024 Paris Olympics, was limited to only two points,

TNT coach Jojo Lastimosa missed the services of key players Mikey Williams, who is still on an extended vacation in the United States; Roger Pogoy and J.P. Erram, who are still recovering from injuries; and Calvin Oftana, who was given a well-deserved rest after spending time with Gilas Pilipinas that won the 19th Asian Games men’s basketball gold medal for the first time in 61 years.

Also not in the lineup are Justin Chua, newly acquired Jewel Ponferada and rookie Henry Galinato.

TNT hopes to even things up with Chiba on Nov. 1 when the Tropang Giga host the Jets in Manila.

The scores

Chiba (93) – Brown 19, Stephens 19, Kanechica 18, Okura 12, Mutts 9, Nishimura 6, Ogawa 6, Togashi 2, Arao 2, Kaishu 0, Sekiya 0.
TNT (75) – Miller 22, Hollis-Jefferson 15, Khobuntin 15, Castro 12, Montalbo 4, Heruela 4, Reyes 3, Flores 0, Ganuelas-Rosser 0.
Quarterscores: 21-22; 45-44; 71-56; 93-75.

AUTHOR PROFILE

Robert Andaya