Don Trollano came off the bench and provided the much-needed spark for the San Miguel Beermen, lifting them to a 98–92 victory over the TNT Tropang Giga in Game 2 of the 49th PBA Philippine Cup Finals Wednesday night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
With the Beermen’s starters visibly fatigued, Trollano stepped up with fresh legs and clutch plays in the fourth quarter — a performance that earned praise from head coach Leo Austria.
“We were lucky we didn’t commit too many turnovers. Plus, there was balanced scoring from the bench,” said Austria, who highlighted Trollano’s late-game heroics that helped San Miguel level the best-of-seven series at 1-1.
Trollano poured in 12 of his game-high 22 points in the final quarter, capitalizing on five crucial TNT turnovers. His three-point play and a mid-range jumper with 6:27 left gave the Beermen an 87–80 cushion, breaking away from a 77-all deadlock early in the period.
San Miguel’s big men also contributed heavily, with June Mar Fajardo scoring 17 points and Mo Tautuaa adding 16, helping the team rebound from a close 96–99 loss in Game 1.
TNT struggled to match the Beermen’s fourth-quarter intensity, especially with center Poy Erram hampered by a swollen ankle sustained in the second quarter. Calvin Oftana tried to carry the load with 23 points but TNT misfired on five key three-point attempts down the stretch.
The Tropang Giga were held to just six points in the first six minutes of the final quarter, allowing the Beermen to pull ahead for good. Trollano’s layup with 4:57 remaining extended the lead to 89–80, a margin San Miguel held onto until the final buzzer.
Game 3 of the championship series is set for Friday, again at the Big Dome.
