Castro bursts for 42 as TNT advances to semis

In just 27 minutes of action, Jason Castro torched Phoenix Petroleum with a career second-best 42 points and propelled TNT KaTropa back to the PBA Final Four for the first time since their 2015 Commissioner’s Cup title run. Castro churned out his most explosive performance since a 44-point game last season and the Texters overwhelmed the Fuel Masters, 136-124, to gain the last berth in the PBA Governors Cup semifinals.

The reigning FIBA Asia Best Point Guard scored almost at will, firing away five triples, nine twinners and nine charities in a mammoth game carrying TNT to a best-of-five semis duel with sister team Meralco. The Texters and the Bolts start their showdown at 7 p.m. Tuesday over at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Ryan Reyes, Ranidel de Ocampo, Michael Madanly, Larry Fonacier and Kelly Williams also came out with their guns ablaze, helping the team send former TNT assistant coach Ariel Vanguardia and his Phoenix troops down on their knees.

TNT joined Meralco, San Miguel Beer and Barangay Ginebra in a grand ball among top seeds in the Final Four while Phoenix became the eighth casualty after Blackwater, Star, Globalport, Rain or Shine, NLEX, Alaska and Mahindra.

-pba.inquirer.net