RR Pogoy, TNT keep grand slam bid alive with one-point escape vs. Magnolia

RR Pogoy made sure TNT is not going home tonight, sizzling late to fuel their 89-88 escape against twice-to-beat Magnolia in the PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup quarterfinals on Wednesday at the Philsports Arena. 

Pogoy, stepping up for a depleted TNT backcourt due to the absence of Jayson Castro and Rey Nambatac, posted a game-high 30 points including 12 in the fourth quarter to force a do-or-die Game 2 on Saturday. 

"Ano lang talaga, 'yung mindset ko lang this game is ayaw ko magpatalo, ayaw ko mag-bakasyon. Binabasa lang namin 'yung Magnolia kasi last game [against sa kanila] ang dami naming turnovers," Pogoy said.

TNT had to dig deep late after staring at a four-point deficit entering the fourth quarter with Pogoy hitting a triple before Calvin Oftana shot a free throw off a technical foul from Mark Barroca to tie things up at 69-all.

Magnolia then kept it close from there before TNT created enough separation thanks to timely triples from bug men Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser and Kelly Williams, 86-81, while an Oftana layup made it a seven-point cushion for the Tropang 5G. 

The Hotshots, though, responded with two long baskets after Rome Dela Rosa hit a triple and Paul Lee buried a cold-blooded four-point shot to force an 88-all deadlock. 

Magnolia had the chance to win it, but Zavier Lucero could not get past the pesky defense of Pogoy as TNT kept its grand slam bid very much alive. 

TNT head coach Chot Reyes stressed completing a hat-trick of titles is far from their mind. 

"First of all, it's really not in their minds but my attitude is these guys have done so much already this year. If the grand slam is not for us, then it's not for us," Reyes said. 

"But it's not going to take away what we have achieved already this season."

Scores:

TNT 89– Pogoy 30, Oftana 21, Williams 12, Heading 10, Ganuelas-Rosser 5, Erram 4, Galinato 2, Heruela 0, Aurin 0, Enciso 0, Varilla 0, Khobuntin 0.

Magnolia 88 – Lee 15, Navarro 14, Lucero 14, Lastimosa 12, Sangalang 10, Dela Rosa 10, Barroca 6, Dionisio 4, Laput 2, Reavis 1, Alfaro 0.

Quarters: 18-22, 37-44, 61-65, 89-88.

—JKC, GMA Integrated News