Veteran forward Kelly Williams rediscovered his shooting touch when it mattered most, powering the TNT Tropang 5G to a hard-earned 109-95 overtime victory over the Terrafirma Dyip on Friday in the 50th PBA Philippine Cup at the Ynares Center in Montalban.
On a night when most of TNT’s gunners struggled, the 42-year-old Williams rose to the occasion, delivering clutch baskets and a steady presence on both ends of the floor.
“If Kelly didn’t hit those three-pointers, we wouldn’t have won this game. We really struggled offensively, and he was the one who kept us alive,” said TNT head coach Chot Reyes after the match.
Williams finished with 28 points and 11 rebounds, leading TNT to its fifth win in six games for a share of the lead with idle Rain or Shine atop the standings.
He took charge late in regulation, scoring nine points in the fourth quarter, including what looked like the game-winning basket with 45 seconds left to give TNT a 92–90 edge. But Jerrick Ahanmisi calmly sank two free throws in the final 23 seconds to tie it at 92-all and force overtime.
In the extra period, Williams once again carried the load, firing another nine points, highlighted by back-to-back three-pointers that pushed TNT ahead, 102–92, with less than two minutes remaining.
RR Pogoy added 21 points for TNT, which overcame a sluggish shooting night through hustle and veteran poise.
Despite the win, Coach Reyes expressed dissatisfaction with how his team executed.
“I really believe in sports—sometimes when you lose, you really win, and sometimes when you win, you really lose,” Reyes reflected. “The scoreboard shows that we won, but in my mind, we lost this game in terms of how we played.”
The Dyip, who showed grit all game long, fell short in the extra period as TNT’s experience and composure took over.
