Jordan Heading and Calvin Oftana took charge in the endgame as TNT thwarted Meralco, 94-89, to draw first blood in their PBA Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup semifinal clash on Wednesday at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.
Heading and Oftana combined forces to spark the pivotal run down the closing stretch before Bol Bol nailed the finishing touches and the Tropang Giga fended off the Bolts’ late fightback for the Game 1 victory in their best-of-seven semis duel.
“That’s exactly one thing that we focused on which is not to allow Meralco to outwork us and to win the effort stats,” TNT head coach Chot Reyes said.
“I think in the end our defense really held strong,” added Reyes, whose squad also beat Luigi Trillo’s Meralco with a five-point margin, 100-95, in the opening game of their semis tussle in the Philippine Cup en route to winning the series.
Best Import frontrunner Bol erupted for 37 points after being held to 28 markers on nine field goals in their 106-110 loss to Meralco in the eliminations. The 7-foot-1 beanpole also closed in on a quadruple-double after chalking 11 rebounds, eight assists, and six blocks.
RR Pogoy led the local aid for Bol with 21 points and nine rebounds, Heading drained 16 markers, while Oftana drilled in a double-double with 14 points and 11 boards for TNT.
With the sister teams locked in a seesaw battle, Oftana and Heading joined hands to essay the Tropa’s blistering 16-4 rally that turned a 74-75 deficit into a 90-79 lead with 3:05 left in the game.
Meralco threatened to within 89-92 as Marvin Jones hit huge inside baskets and Bong Quinto sank a four-pointer with 56 seconds remaining.
Bol then drove strong to the hoop to make it a two-possession game, 94-89, with 47 seconds left before the lanky import and TNT made crucial defensive stops to seal the deal.
Jones paced the Bolts with 22 points and 14 rebounds, Quinto added 17 markers, even as CJ Cansino and Chris Newsome had 12 and 11, respectively, in a losing cause.
The scores:
TNT 94 – Bol 37, Pogoy 21, Heading 16, Oftana 14, Nambatac 3, Williams 2, Castro 1, Ganuelas-Rosser 0, Quitevis 0, Aurin 0, Galinato 0, Khobuntin 0
MERALCO 89 – Jones 22, Quinto 17, Cansino 12, Newsome 11, Brickman 8, Hodge 8, Rios 5, Banchero 4, Bates 2, Black 0, Mocon 0
Quarters: 28-21, 53-49, 69-69, 94-89
