TNT, PBA Greats forge championship showdown

Unbeaten Talk ‘N Text and PBA Greats hacked out contrasting victories over separate foes to set up an exciting championship showdown in the 2024 Batang PBA-Centrum Kids 11-under tournament on Friday at the Ynares Sports Arena in Pasig City.

The Batang Tropang Giga cruised past NLEX, 60-41, while the PBA Greats stunned erstwhile undefeated PBA Stalwarts, 58-56, in the knockout semifinals.

Markie Obag led the way with eight points for TNT, which had 12 other players on the scoring books in its fifth straight win.

On the other hand, Zigrid Kian Hernandez poured 22 points as the Group B second-seed PBA Greats sent the PBA Stalwarts packing after dominating Group A with a 4-0 record.

Karim Abdul backstopped Hernandez with 15 points as the PBA Greats earned a shot to challenge TNT in the knockout finale on Monday at the same venue.

In the four-team 9-under division, unbeaten Barangay Ginebra San Miguel and previously winless Blackwater forged an unlikely final duel.

Jariel Centeno fired 21 points to lead Ginebra’s 48-38 victory over Magnolia as Luke Maninang scored 13 points in Blackwater’s 47-39 upset of Converge.

The 9-under finale will also be played on Monday along with four games in the 15-under that started on Thursday.