STA. ROSA, Laguna – Chiba spoiled TNT's East Asia Super League home debut with a 75-66 win in a rare live basketball game on Wednesday night at the City of Sta. Rosa Multi-Purpose Sports Complex.
In the repeat of their first meeting in Japan, the Jets clobbered the Tropang Giga early on and led by as much as 20 points late in the first half before settling for a 50-32 halftime lead.
TNT came back firing in the third quarter and came to within five late in the period, the last at 61-56, but Chiba held TNT to just 10 points in the fourth quarter to hold on even if they struggled in the end as well.
John Mooney led Chiba, now 3-0 in Group A play, with 30 points on 12-of-19 field goals while DJ Stephens added 15 points.
Quincy Miller fired 22 points, 20 in the second half and 13 rebounds but he had six of TNT's 21 total turnovers.
Meanwhile, Seoul SK got back at Ryukyu in their rematch with an 82-69 win at the Goyang Sono Arena in South Korea.
In the tail end of their own home-and-home set that had to be played on the home floor of the Goyang Skygunners, the Knights quickly pulled away from the Golden Kings in the first three quarters before keeping their opponents at bay in the end as they are now tied at 1-1 in Group B action.
Leon Williams led Seoul SK, which played without the injured Juan Gomez De Liano, with 23 points, 17 rebounds, two assists, and three steals, while Kim Sun-Hyung, Heo Il-Young, and Oh Sek-Eun each added 12 markers.
Keita Imamura made 15 points, five rebounds, and six assists, while Carl Tamayo chipped in five points, seven rebounds, and one assist for Ryukyu. (PNA) // basketball file photo
