The TNT Tropang Giga is a win away from making it back to the PBA Governors’ Cup finals thanks to import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson.
With Game 4 of TNT’s semis series against the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters going down the wire like Game 3, the artist known simply as RHJ just refused to let the Tropang Giga lose.
First, with 45 seconds remaining and the game tied at 79, Hollis-Jefferson drove the length of the court and finished with a one-handed slam.
Hollis-Jefferson Wills TNT to Victory with Final Defensive Stand
The Tropa still needed one more defensive stand to secure the win. RHJ gave them one, blocking a Jhonard Clarito attempt out of bounds. TNT nearly got another, forcing Andrei Caracut into a desperation heave from 28 feet, only for Clarito to chase the offensive rebound and give Rain or Shine another chance. Gian Mamuyac then muffed his rushed lefty lay-in for OT, the ball bouncing high and out.
Clarito, though, appeared to coral a second offensive rebound, getting both hands on the ensuing loose ball with five ticks left in the game. But RHJ had other plans, yanking the ball away from the reigning Most Improved Player and securing that final defensive stand for TNT.
“That was just will,” Hollis-Jefferson told reporters after the game. “We knew how important it was to get the rebound… I just knew how important it was. I didn’t know who was next to me or who had their hands on the ball. I knew they weren’t taking that from me.”
Clarito nearly did—until RHJ did something about it.
In the end, Game 4, indeed, turned into a battle of wills, and RHJ’s was simply stronger than anyone else’s.
The reigning PBA Governors’ Cup Best Import finished with a historic 5x stat line—23 points, 19 rebounds, 5 assists, 5, steals, and 5 blocks—and all the big plays down the stretch to tow TNT to the win and a commanding 3-1 lead in the series.
Game 5 is on Sunday, Oct 20.
