ANTIPOLO — Behind a dominant first half and the steady veteran leadership of Kelly Williams, the TNT Tropang 5G drew first blood in the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup Finals, edging out the San Miguel Beermen, 96-91, in Game 1 on Wednesday night at the Ynares Sports Center.
Williams, the 43-year-old veteran, proved he still has plenty left in the tank, finishing with a team-high 15 points, nine rebounds, and three assists. His defensive presence and late-game playmaking were instrumental in fending off a furious fourth-quarter rally from the defending champions.
A Tale of Two Halves TNT came out with guns blazing, suffocating San Miguel with a relentless defense that led to a commanding 53-36 halftime lead. However, the Beermen, known for their championship composure, clawed back in the second half.
Late in the fourth quarter, San Miguel’s Don Trollano drained a massive four-pointer to cut TNT’s lead to just three, 90-87, with 1:44 remaining. With the momentum swinging toward the Beermen, Williams found an open Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser for a crucial basket that pushed the lead back to five. Despite back-to-back turnovers that allowed San Miguel to pull within one, 92-91, TNT’s steady free-throw shooting in the final seconds sealed the victory.
Key Performances
- TNT: Calvin Oftana recorded a double-double with 13 points and 10 rebounds. Jordan Heading and Henry Galinato added 13 and 12 points, respectively.
- San Miguel: June Mar Fajardo put up a monstrous 24 points and 17 rebounds in a losing effort, while Mo Tautuaa chipped in 22 points.
One Game at a Time Despite the win, Williams remained grounded. “It’s just one game and that’s how we’ll look at it for the rest of the series,” he said. “Obviously, we can’t be content against San Miguel. We know they’ll come back strong and make adjustments.”
The Tropang 5G will look to take a commanding 2-0 series lead when Game 2 returns to the same venue on Friday night. For the Beermen, the focus shifts to defensive adjustments and finding more scoring balance beyond their frontcourt stars.