Tropang Giga, E-Painters stay perfect

Games today (AUF Sports Arena Powered by Smart 5G) 4 p.m. – Blackwater vs NLEX 6:45 p.m – Alaska vs Magnolia

The TNT juggernaut in the PBA bubble continued, and this time, the Tropang Giga claimed the scalp of defending champion San Miguel Beer.

Drawing a ca re e r performance from preseason trade acquisition Poy Erram and stellar plays from the usual suspects, the Tropang Giga walloped the Beermen, 107-88, to race to a leading 3-0 slate in the Philippine Cup last night.

The Beermen suffered their second straight setback at the Smart 5G-powered AUF Sports Arena in Angeles City for 1-2 overall, their cause hampered by the loss of Terrence Romeo to a shoulder injury in the first half.

Erram, settling in with TNT after a so-so debut last Sunday, banged in a career-high 27 points spiked by a 9-of-9 two-point shooting and 10- of- 16 overall. He also grabbed 15 rebounds in a dominant inside game against foul-riddled Mo Tautuaa.

Bobby Ray Parks followed up his 40-point performance with a 22 laced by four triples while Troy Rosario chipped in 16-8 and RR Pogoy, who sizzled with 45 last Sunday, shot 15 before limping out on an ankle sprain.

Sustaining the momentum from its upset of champ San Miguel, Rain or Shine scored a follow-up 91-82 victory over TerraFirma Dyip early in the night.

Rey Nambatac, one of the heroes in their 87-84 reversal over the Beermen, took scoring cudgels with 19 in a balanced assault that propelled the E-Painters to a 2-0 card.

Javee Mocon ( with 14 points and 10 rebounds), Beau Belga ( 14- 8) and Gabe Norwood (14-6-4) logged solid numbers as well for ROS. The scores: First Game Rain or Shine 91 – Nambatac 19, Norwood 14, Mocon 14, Belga 14, Onwubere 8, Rosales 6, Norwood 4, Yap 4, Torres 4, Ponferrada 3, Wong 3, Borboran 2, Tolentino 0.

TerraFirma 82 – Perez 26, Tiongson 15, Khobuntin 12, Adams 10, Cahilig 7, Ramos 6, Camson 5, Celda 1, McCarthy 0, Faundo 0, Calvo 0, Gabayni 0, Agovida 0, Balagasay 0. Quarterscores: 19-16, 44-34, 66-58, 91-82 Second Game TNT Tropang Giga 107 – Erram 27, Parks 22, Rosario 16, Pogoy 15, Castro 11, Enciso 10, Reyes 3, Flores 3, De Leon 0, Alejandro 0, Semerad 0, Vosotros 0, Washington 0.

San Miguel Beer 88 – Cabagnot 15, Lassiter 14, Ross 13, Romeo 11, Santos 11, Tautuaa 9, Zamar 5, Pessumal 3, Mamaril 2, Gamalinda 2, Escoto 2, De Guzman 1, Alolino 0, Comboy 0.

Quarterscores: 30-18, 57-38, 92-70, 107-88