TNT put itself in position to extend the PBA 49th Season Philippine Cup Finals, taking a 41-31 lead over San Miguel at halftime of Game Five on Wednesday night at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser, Kelly Williams, and Calvin Oftana accounted for most of the points as the Tropang 5G fought defiantly to keep their grand slam bid alive while facing a 1-3 deficit in the best-of-seven series.
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Ganuelas-Rosser ended the first half with 16 points and three blocks, one against June Mar Fajardo, but spent the final minutes of the second quarter on the bench after being slapped with a flagrant foul penalty one.
Williams had 12 points and six rebounds, while also shooting 4-of-8 from threes. Oftana added seven points on a 3-of-10 clip from the field.
A three by Williams put TNT ahead, 34-21 - its biggest lead in the first half where the Tropang 5G shot 45 percent from the field.
Fajardo had nine points and nine rebounds but the Beermen shot only 24 percent from the field in the first half.
San Miguel's scoring output in the first half was the lowest since Barangay Ginebra scored an all-time low 19 points in Game 2 of last conference's Commissioner's Cup finals, according to PBA statistics chief Fidel Mangonon.
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