Strings helps Dyip crush Giant Pandas

Games today:

(Smart Araneta Coliseum)

5:15 p.m. — Titan Ultra vs Converge

7:30 p.m. — Magnolia vs Ginebra

Terrafirma kept its playoff hopes alive after routing Macau, 146-127, in the PBA Governors’ Cup at the Ynares Center on Saturday in Antipolo City.

Justin Strings exploded for 32 points and 11 rebounds as the Dyip snapped a two-game losing streak to improve to 4-6 in Group A of the season-ending conference.

Head coach Ronald Tubid said the team focused on bouncing back after its 116-92 loss to TNT on Wednesday, knowing it still has a chance to reach the postseason.

“As long as we still have games to play, we need to keep competing. We don’t know if the other teams will lose, so we just need to focus on our game and try to win,” Tubid said.

“Our preparation for the next game starts in practice. That’s our mindset: one game at a time. We still have a chance, and that’s what we tell our players.”

Strings sparked a decisive surge in the second quarter, draining a triple with 5:47 left to ignite a 10-0 run that stretched Terrafirma’s 57-53 lead to 67-53.

The Dyip stayed in control from there, with Maverick Ahanmisi’s free throw at the 7:28 mark of the fourth quarter giving them their biggest lead at 127-106.

Terrafirma dominated the boards with 64 rebounds and matched that total in points in the paint.

Juami Tiongson bounced back from a scoreless outing against TNT with 30 points, while Geo Chiu posted a double-double of 18 points and 20 rebounds.

Oscar Lopez Jr. delivered 41 points and 26 rebounds for Macau, but the effort went unrewarded as the team fell to 2-8 in Group A.