TNT showed its championship fortitude to keep its title retention bid alive with a 96-93 win over top-seed NLEX on Wednesday in the PBA 50th Season Commissioner’s Cup quarterfinals at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
The No. 8 Tropang 5G forced a knockout duel for a semifinal berth on Saturday by holding off a last gasp Road Warriors rally.
Bol Bol knocked down a free throw with 1:08 left to break a 93-93 tie after the Road Warriors, playing without Robert Bolick after fouling out, even things after being down, 93-84.
Schonny Winston missed a jumper in the dying seconds, leading to Bol settling the final score.
Cady Lalanne's three-point attempt in the final seconds of the game hit the top of the board.
Bol finished with 34 points, 14 rebounds, and three blocks, and got support from the locals, with Calvin Oftana had 19 points on 4-of-8 shooting from threes.
A big revelation was RR Pogoy, who had 15 points on 5-of-10 shooting from the field, while Jayson Castro had 14 points on 7-of-7 from the free throw line.
“I think this is the first game the whole conference that we had those three other guys in double figures,” said TNT coach Chot Reyes. “Hindi magsabay-sabay na maganda laro ni Calvin, Roger, and Jayson, our three mainstays. This is the first time that the three of them got off to a double-figure output.
Lalanne had 17 points and 15 rebounds, while Bolick had 15 points but fouled out with still 4:33 left in the contest.
NLEX fouled 17 times and didn't take a free throw in the first half, but was still ahead at the half, 52-50.
The Road Warriors trailed, 82-72, and 93-84, when they made a comeback, but Lalanne only made one of two free throws to tie the game at 93, instead of giving the Road Warriors the lead.
The scores:
TNT 96 – Bol 34, Oftana 19, Pogoy 15, Castro 14, Nambatac 7, Ganuelas-Rosser 5, Galinato 2, Heading 0, Quitevis 0, Khobuntin 0, Williams 0.
NLEX 93 – Lalanne 17, Bolick 15, Torres 14, Gonzales 13, Semerad 11, Winston 10, Rodger 8, Ramirez 3, Bahio 2, Racal 0, Fajardo 0.
Quarters: 26-26; 50-52; 76-72; 96-93.
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