RR Pogoy nailed a go-ahead three-pointer with 7.4 seconds left to lift a hard-fighting, all-Filipino TNT crew to a 77-75 win over Meralco on Sunday for a 2-1 lead in the PBA 50th Season Commissioner’s Cup semifinals.
The Tropang 5G fought valiantly against Marvin Jones and the Bolts in Game 3, keeping the game close throughout before making the decisive run in the endgame behind Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser and Pogoy.
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Struggling all game on 2-for-11 shooting including 0-for-3 from beyong the three-point arc, Pogoy made the shot when it mattered most by hitting the game-winner in an isolation play against Meralco big man Cliff Hodge.
That put a happy ending to a tension-filled three days for TNT, which lost super-import Bol Bol to an Achilles tear early in Game Two and saw last-ditch attempts to bring in new reinforcements fail to materialize.
Pogoy had his lowest output of the semifinals with nine points, but hit the biggest shot of the game, a response to a three by Chris Newsome that got Meralco ahead, 75-74.
The Tropang 5G took the series lead with Chris McCullough set to become the next import after the injury to Bol.
TNT coach Chot Reyes praised the heart of his players in overcoming the injury of Bol.
“More than the caliber and the depth of the team, I think it’s our heart really,” said Reyes. “All of our discussion yesterday in practice, even before any kind of game planning and tactical discussion was just about setting our minds right that we have a chance.”
“We knew coming into this series that in order to beat Meralco, even when we had Bol, we said we have to match their energy and effort. Yesterday, because we are all-Filipino, without Bol, we can’t match Meralco’s energy and effort. We have to overcome it, and find a way to put in more energy and effort against Meralco,” said Reyes.
Rey Nambatac was a revelation in Game 3 when he put together his best game of the conference with 18 points, while Calvin Oftana and Jordan Heading had 15 and 12 points apiece.
Marvin Jones had 22 points and 15 rebounds, while Chris Newsome had 10 points, six rebounds, and four assists in the defeat.
The scores:
TNT 77 – Nambatac 18, Oftana 15, Heading 12, Pogoy 9, Ganuelas-Rosser 8, Aurin 5, Khobuntin 5, Williams 3, Galinato 2, Ferrer 0, Chua 0, Quitevis 0.
Meralco 75 – Jones 22, Newsome 10, Mocon 8, Cansino 8, Brickman 7, Black 5, Rios 5, Hodge 4, Banchero 4, Quinto 2, Bates 0.
Quarters: 20-16; 43-34; 55-59; 77-75.
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