Kelly Williams is expected to flex his veteran leadership once more to steer TNT to another victory over San Miguel in Game 2 of the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup Finals.
TNT may have drawn first blood in the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup Finals, but Game 1 showed just how thin the margins are at this stage.
Behind a blistering first-half surge, the Tropang 5G built a lead that ballooned to as much as 19 points before surviving a fierce San Miguel Beermen rally for a hard-earned 96-91 win.
[WATCH: PBA LIVESTREAM: TNT vs San Miguel | Philippine Cup Finals Game 2]
Veteran Kelly Williams steadied the Tropang 5G, leading the way with 15 points, nine rebounds, three assists and a block.
[RELATED STORY: Henry Galinato quietly makes difference for TNT in PBA Finals Game 1 win]
But at 43, Williams sees his role as less about dominance but more about direction.
“My role is to try to keep everyone steady. I have probably the most experience in this kind of situation,” he said.
“I was reminded during the jersey retirement of Ranidel (de Ocampo) how big it is to have someone who is just calm in the storms, so I want to make sure I can be that.”
Indeed, when the Beermen pushed back, it was Williams’ poise that helped steady the ship.
That was crucial in Game 1, especially when TNT nearly lost control of the match.
However, the Tropang 5G committed 19 turnovers, which San Miguel converted into 25 points — an area head coach Chot Reyes openly flagged as unacceptable despite the win.
San Miguel is expected to come out sharper from the opening tip, especially with nine-time Most Valuable Player June Mar Fajardo eager to pull level.
[RELATED STORY: June Mar Fajardo optimistic despite SMB's Game 1 loss to TNT: 'Malayo pa 'yan']
Tipoff is at 7:30 p.m. at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.
(With reports from Jan Ballesteros)
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[Editor’s note: This article was written by a member of One Sports Digital with the help of AI and reviewed by editorial staff for accuracy.]