The Terrafirma Dyip kept their faint playoff hopes burning on Saturday with a 146-127 triumph over the Macau Giant Pandas at the Ynares Center in Antipolo. It is the Dyip’s fourth win in the PBA Governors’ Cup as against six losses. The Giant Pandas, on the other hand, dropped to 2-8.
What Happened?
Terrafirma got off to a strong start thanks to a torrid opening frame by Juami Tiongson, who fired 14 points on four triples. Justin Strings added 7, and JM Bravo added 5 late in the quarter to tow the Dyip to a 42-35 lead after one. Strings, Tiongson, and Bravo continued to wax hot in the second canto as Terrafirma added 35 more to take a 77-66 lead into intermission.
The Dyip continued to puncture the hoop after halftime—this time with Geo Chiu and Joseph Eriobu joining the fray. Terrafirma scored 38 in the third compared to Macau’s 29 to push the lead to 115-95 going into the fourth. The final canto was a mere formality, with both teams seemingly just going through the motions until the final buzzer.
Who Stood Out?
Tiongson rode on his hot start to put up 30 big points on top of 7 dimes. Strings, meanwhile, had a team-high 32 points to go along with 11 rebounds and 3 assists. Chiu also starred, coming up with 18 points and 20 rebounds as he towered over the Giant Pandas’ frontcourt. Bravo sparked Terrafirma as well with 22 points off the bench.
On the other side, Oscar Lopez Jr. fired a game-high 41 points on top of 26 rebounds, 3 assists, 1 steal, and 1 block in a no-relief job to at least keep Macau competitive in stretches. Kobey Lam added 37 points, 7 rebounds, and 6 assists.
3 Keys to the Game
- Blazing-hot shooting. Macau actually shot pretty well on Saturday. However, Terrafirma was just scorching from the field, converting on 51.8% overall and 40.0% from downtown.
- Ball movement. The Dyip, with Tiongson and Maverick Ahanmisi orchestrating, moved the ball around well on Saturday, and Terrafirma’s total assists—34—bear it out. In contrast, the Giant Pandas recorded 22 dimes as their attack was mostly focused on Lopez and Lam trying to create off the dribble.
- Bench play. Macau got a monstrous 121 points from their starters, with Lopez and Lam accounting for 78. Unfortunately, their bench delivered just 6 points all game. The Dyip second stringers, on the other hand, fired 49 to complement the starters’ strong outing.
Next Up for the PBA
Sunday, October 11, 2026 | Smart Araneta Coliseum
Converge FiberXers vs. Titan Ultra Giant Risers (5:15 p.m.)
Magnolia Hotshots vs. Barangay Ginebra San Miguel (7:30 p.m.)
