Castro leads again as TNT edges Meralco

MANILA, Philippines – Jayson Castro has come out firing to start the 2016 PBA Governors’ Cup as he again led the Tropang TNT to a 98-95 victory, this time over the Meralco Bolts on Saturday, July 23 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Castro, who helped TNT past Rain or Shine 3 days ago with the game-winning trey, swished in a crucial 3-pointer with over 4 minutes remaining, sparking a critical run that turned a two-point lead into a 12-point advantage.

Castro finished with a game-high 24 points, 7 rebounds, and 5 assists as TNT rose to 2-0 in the standings after thwarting a last-gasp Meralco attempt late in the game.

Imports Mario Little and Michael Madanly both had just 14 points each. Little was 4-of-13 shooting and had 11 rebounds. Kris Rosales added 13 points.

Cliff Hodge tallied 18 points and 8 rebounds for Meralco, which trimmed the deficit to 3 in the dying seconds.

Jared Dillinger had 15 points while import Allen Durham posted 14 markers and 14 boards. Jimmy Alapag and Mohammad Jamshidi had 11 and 10 points, respectively as the Bolts fell to 2-1. – Rappler.com