The TNT Tropang 5G did the first part of their job, and that is to drag the no. 3 Magnolia Hotshots to a second do-or-die game in the PBA Philippine Cup quarterfinals.
RR Pogoy and Calvin Oftana will once again take center stage as TNT Tropang 5G gun to stay alive in their Grand Slam bid, facing the Magnolia Hotshots in a do-or-die PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup quarterfinal clash on Saturday, June 21, 5:00 p.m. at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
The no. 6 Tropang 5G erased Magnolia’s twice-to-beat advantage with a gritty 89-88 win in their first meeting, setting the stage for a winner-take-all showdown against the third-seeded Hotshots.
Pogoy turned back the clock with a vintage performance, firing 30 points to lead TNT’s offense.
Oftana was just as crucial, delivering a monster all-around stat line of 21 points, 16 rebounds, five assists, and three steals as the Tropang 5G leaned on their top guns with several key players still sidelined.
Even Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser had a solid game, providing strong bench support with 10 points and six rebounds as he is finally fit-again to help in the Tropang 5G's playoff push.
A win on Saturday would send TNT to the semifinals and keep their historic Grand Slam quest alive after winning the season’s first two conferences.
With momentum and belief on their side, the Tropang 5G are one win away from pushing their dream run even deeper in the All-Filipino.
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[Editor's note: This article was written by a member of the One Sports Digital with the help of AI, and then checked by the staff to ensure accuracy.]