PBA: Meralco holds off TNT after nearly losing 20-point lead

Meralco survived a late-game scare from TNT, nearly squandering a 20-point lead before holding on for a 110–106 victory in the PBA Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup on Tuesday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

The Bolts held off a furious TNT rally led by Bol Bol, RR Pogoy, and Rey Nambatac to notch their second straight win and improve to 4-1 while the Tropang 5G slipped to an even 2-2 card.

American import Marvin Jones led the escape act with 29 points, 12 rebounds, and two assists while CJ Cansino picked up where he left off by unleashing 19 markers, four boards, four dimes, and a steal as they forced a tie for second place with NLEX.

Raymond Almazan posted 12 points and five rebounds while Cliff Hodge finished with 10 markers and four rebounds before fouling out late in the fourth.

"The last tournament, we were in a semifinals against TNT, but this is a different make-up now with Bol there. You have to also give TNT credit, they hung around. We were up big at the half and with five minutes left in the game, we were up 12 but they persevered," Meralco head coach Luigi Trillo said.

"But a win is a win. We'll take it."

TNT actually never tasted a lead all throughout the game.

Cansino traded long buckets with Jordan Heading in the third, bringing the Bolts to an 81-66 lead before a Javee Mocon three-pointer at the buzzer sent Meralco to an 88-70 cushion ahead of the payoff period.

Even Almazan caught fire from downtown by burying his own triple to make it a 98-78 lead for the Bolts.

But the defending champions weren’t about to go down without a fight.

TNT capitalized at the free-throw line, with Heading and Nambatac spearheading a 10–2 run highlighted by seven makes from the charity stripe. Bol Bol then knocked down back-to-back jumpers, before adding a free throw to trim the deficit to 10, 103–93, with 3:51 remaining.

Nambatac and Pogoy drilled a triple apiece to ignite another surge — a 12–4 run that trimmed the deficit to just two, 107–105, in the final minute. TNT even had a chance to seize its first lead, but Pogoy misfired on a three-pointer and then fouled Chris Newsome on the ensuing possession.

Down again by four, 110-106, TNT tried to equalize it but Bol missed a tough four-point shot that allowed Meralco to complete the thriller. 

Bol paced TNT with 28 points, 12 rebounds, and four blocks while Heading posted 21 markers, four assists, and three rebounds. 

—JMB, GMA News