PBA: TNT escapes San Miguel in wild Game 1 finish

The TNT Tropang 5G clicked on all cylinders in the first three quarters, but had to weather a massive San Miguel comeback en route to salvaging a 99-96 win in Game 1 of PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup Finals on Sunday.

The Tropang 5G punished the Beermen with their torrid shooting from beyond the arc, but went cold in the last period amid a Beermen rampage.

Still, TNT was able to hang on to draw first blood in the best-of-seven affair thanks to a clutch RR Pogoy triple and an offensive basketball interference call on a dunk attempt by Mo Tautuaa that would have given the Beermen a one-point lead in the last 56 seconds of the game.

The victory placed TNT just three wins away from clinching a rare Grand Slam.

Pogoy, who was returning from a hamstring injury he sustained in the semifinals, returned with a bang, scoring 23 points, including a perfect 2-of-2 shooting clip from the four-point line. 

Jordan Heading supplied the help with 19 points, six assists, and three rebounds while Calvin Oftana and Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser chipped in 13 markers apiece.

Pogoy and Oftana went off early and helped TNT establish a huge 61-42 halftime lead and even stretched that to as big as 24 when Oftana fired another triple for a 67-43 cushion early in the third.

But the Beermen refused to let it it be a done deal that early for the Tropang 5G.

After a Heading basket that led to a 92-74 lead, San Miguel mounted a huge 19-0 rampage led by the collective efforts of June Mar Fajardo, Don Trollano, and CJ Perez as they regained a 93-92 cushion in the dying minutes.

Ganuelas-Rosser then scored on a dunk before SMB spark plug Chris Ross knocked down a triple to give SMB a 96-94 lead with 1:44 left in the game.

TNT got back a 97-96 lead after a Pogoy three-pointer.

This was answered by a Tautuaa basket. The big man missed a dunk attempt, but got the lucky bounce with the ball, giving San Miguel a one-point cushion, 98-97.

However, during the next dead-ball, the game officials made a review of the play, resulting in the basket being waved off as it was ruled offensive basket interference.

With the score back to 97-96 in their favor, the Tropang 5G sealed the win with a pair of freebies from Oftana and another defensive stop to finish.

—JMB, GMA Integrated News