TNT wants to sustain its winning momentum as the Tropang 5G take on San Miguel in Game 2 of the PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup Finals.
RR Pogoy and the TNT Tropang 5G will try to seize control of the PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup Finals as they go for a 2-0 series lead against the San Miguel Beermen in Game 2 on Wednesday, July 16.
Gametime is set at 7:30 p.m. at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
[RELATED STORY: RR Pogoy returns as TNT outlasts San Miguel in PBA Finals opener: 'Ngayon pa ba kami susuko?’]
Fresh off a controversial 99-96 Game 1 win, TNT is riding momentum and looking to move two wins closer to completing a historic Grand Slam.
Pogoy, still recovering from a hamstring injury and playing on limited minutes, was instrumental in the opener, exploding for 23 points—15 of which came in the first half—to give the Tropang 5G an early edge.
Jordan Heading added 19 points, three rebounds, and six assists, helping TNT withstand a furious 19-0 San Miguel run in the fourth quarter that nearly turned a 24-point cushion into a heartbreaking loss.
Instead, the Tropang 5G kept their poise when it mattered most—and caught a break in the game’s most chaotic moment.
[ALSO READ: PBA explains basket interference call on Mo Tautuaa late in Game 1 of TNT-SMB Finals]
With 56 seconds left and San Miguel seemingly taking the lead off a Mo Tautuaa dunk, the technical committee reversed the play during a dead ball, ruling it offensive basket interference.
The decision came after a review triggered by a jump ball between Chris Ross and Heading with six seconds to go, leading to two clutch Calvin Oftana free throws that iced the game.
"From the bench, we already thought it looked like offensive interference. Good thing there was a dead ball that gave the officials a chance to review it," Reyes said.
[ALSO READ: Chot Reyes on controversial call on Tautuaa: 'We're already saying it looked like an interference’]
Now with a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series, Reyes and TNT are wary of San Miguel’s firepower and playoff experience but confident in their depth and grit—even as they continue to manage injuries to key players.
A win on Wednesday will put the Tropang 5G firmly in the driver’s seat. More importantly, it will inch them closer to the Grand Slam that has eluded the franchise for over a decade.
(With reports from Jan Ballesteros)
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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.]