Mahindra continues to be the biggest story in the PBA Governors’ Cup.
The Enforcers sealed their franchise’s first-ever playoffs appearance on Friday night by bringing down the one team no side has been able to touch thus far in the elimination round, scoring a 107-104 victory over TNT KaTropa at the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao.
James White fired 24 points and grabbed 10 rebounds and four others tossed in 11 or more for the Enforcers, who assembled another winning streak to rise to 6-2 and deal the Texters their first loss in seven outings.
But more importantly, the win meant that the Enforcers are in their first playoff stint and could even book a twice-to-beat privilege after wriggling out of a three-team logjam for second spot to trail the league-leading Texters by just half-a-game heading into the elimination round’s most crucial stages.
“This is definitely new ground for us,” Chris Gavina, who is listed as the Enforcers’ assistant coach to Manny Pacquiao, said during the customary winning coach’s interview.
He was also referring to their sixth win, the most by the franchise in their six conferences since joining the league as one of two expansion squads at the start of last season.
“We’re happy we just made franchise history. We’re moving in the right direction but we need to stay level headed as possible,” Gavina added. “We should never feel too high or too low.”
For TNT, it was time to feel low.
The Texters trailed for most of the night, with a 10-0 run giving the Enforcers a 51-41 lead. TNT played catch-up the rest of the way, only for Mahindra to come up with answers each time the Texters crept closer.
Jason Castro worked his tail off in the second half in trying to get the Texters back in the game, shooting 26 of his 33 in that stretch, 16 of them coming in the fourth period.
But the Enforcers were firing on all cylinders, with Paolo Taha, KG Canaleta and starting point guard LA Revilla combining 18 fourth quarter points. Together with White, they put the Texters away.
“Jason Castro is really the best point guard in Asia,” Gavina said in praise of TNT’s 6-foot superstar.
With the win, the Enforcers moved within two more victories of clinching a twice-to-beat privilege in the first round of the playoffs, which would be another milestone for the franchise.
Despite the loss, the Texters still kept a hold of No. 1, with idle San Miguel Beer and sister team Barangay Ginebra holding third place at 5-2 and Meralco in fifth with a 5-3 record.
Mahindra will have to shoot for those two victories against Rain or Shine, the Gin Kings and the Bolts, who are left in their elimination round schedule, and it would certainly be a tough task for the surprise package of the tournament.
“I told them (Enforcers) that it would take no less than a championship effort on our part to beat TNT,” Gavina went on. “But if we continue to play for one another and play selfless style of basketball, we can be a very good team.”
In the second game, Phoenix Petroleum enhanced its playoff chances after nipping NLEX in overtime, 95-91.
The Fuel Masters got 29 points from Eugene Phelps, who tossed in eight of his total in the extra five minutes to key another Phoenix win. Phelps has gone 3-1 in his first four games.
NLEX took a second straight defeat and slumped to a 3-5 card, definitely out of the running now for a top four berth.
Henry Walker fired 23 points to lead the Road Warriors, but had too many mistakes in the endgame that helped doom NLEX.
The Enforcers sealed their franchise’s first-ever playoffs appearance on Friday night by bringing down the one team no side has been able to touch thus far in the elimination round, scoring a 107-104 victory over TNT KaTropa at the Araneta Coliseum in Cubao.
James White fired 24 points and grabbed 10 rebounds and four others tossed in 11 or more for the Enforcers, who assembled another winning streak to rise to 6-2 and deal the Texters their first loss in seven outings.
But more importantly, the win meant that the Enforcers are in their first playoff stint and could even book a twice-to-beat privilege after wriggling out of a three-team logjam for second spot to trail the league-leading Texters by just half-a-game heading into the elimination round’s most crucial stages.
“This is definitely new ground for us,” Chris Gavina, who is listed as the Enforcers’ assistant coach to Manny Pacquiao, said during the customary winning coach’s interview.
He was also referring to their sixth win, the most by the franchise in their six conferences since joining the league as one of two expansion squads at the start of last season.
“We’re happy we just made franchise history. We’re moving in the right direction but we need to stay level headed as possible,” Gavina added. “We should never feel too high or too low.”
For TNT, it was time to feel low.
The Texters trailed for most of the night, with a 10-0 run giving the Enforcers a 51-41 lead. TNT played catch-up the rest of the way, only for Mahindra to come up with answers each time the Texters crept closer.
Jason Castro worked his tail off in the second half in trying to get the Texters back in the game, shooting 26 of his 33 in that stretch, 16 of them coming in the fourth period.
But the Enforcers were firing on all cylinders, with Paolo Taha, KG Canaleta and starting point guard LA Revilla combining 18 fourth quarter points. Together with White, they put the Texters away.
“Jason Castro is really the best point guard in Asia,” Gavina said in praise of TNT’s 6-foot superstar.
With the win, the Enforcers moved within two more victories of clinching a twice-to-beat privilege in the first round of the playoffs, which would be another milestone for the franchise.
Despite the loss, the Texters still kept a hold of No. 1, with idle San Miguel Beer and sister team Barangay Ginebra holding third place at 5-2 and Meralco in fifth with a 5-3 record.
Mahindra will have to shoot for those two victories against Rain or Shine, the Gin Kings and the Bolts, who are left in their elimination round schedule, and it would certainly be a tough task for the surprise package of the tournament.
“I told them (Enforcers) that it would take no less than a championship effort on our part to beat TNT,” Gavina went on. “But if we continue to play for one another and play selfless style of basketball, we can be a very good team.”
In the second game, Phoenix Petroleum enhanced its playoff chances after nipping NLEX in overtime, 95-91.
The Fuel Masters got 29 points from Eugene Phelps, who tossed in eight of his total in the extra five minutes to key another Phoenix win. Phelps has gone 3-1 in his first four games.
NLEX took a second straight defeat and slumped to a 3-5 card, definitely out of the running now for a top four berth.
Henry Walker fired 23 points to lead the Road Warriors, but had too many mistakes in the endgame that helped doom NLEX.
