The TNT Tropang 5G bucked a tougher-than-expected challenge from the Blackwater Bossing on Tuesday to come out on top, 99-94, at the Ynares Center in Antipolo. The win tied TNT with Barangay Ginebra San Miguel for joint third at 4-2, while the loss dropped the Bossing to 1-5 in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup. It also spoiled the head coaching debut of former Gilas Women tactician Pat Aquino.
What Happened?
TNT got off to a rousing start, winning the opening frame, 26-21, behind Bol Bol’s 14 first-quarter points. The Tropa stretched their lead to 52-40 at the end of the first half as RR Pogoy, Avan Nava, and Rey Nambatac got going in the second quarter.
Blackwater showed it can keep pace with TNT with a strong third quarter that saw the Aquino-coached squad score 25 points. However, the Bossing surrendered 25 as well to enter the final frame down by 12. That cushion proved enough for the Tropa, who kept fending off Blackwater rallies, the last of which came late, where the Bossing got to within 95-94 with under a minute left.
Who Stood Out?
Bol Bol is the obvious choice. The South Sudanese big man played arguably his best game in the PBA, tallying 48 points—just two points shy of Mubashar Ali’s conference high—and corralling 11 boards. He also had 7 blocks while shooting an efficient 15-for-24. RR Pogoy, who finished with 7 points, deserves special mention as well for helping clamp down Sedrick Barefield to a 4-for-18 clip with 4 turnovers.
Blackwater, meanwhile, drew standout games from Upshaw and rookie Dalph Panopio. The hulking American had 36 points on 12-for-19 shooting, on top of 7 boards. Panopio, on the other hand, finished with 17 points, 9 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals as he got the start.
3 Keys to the Game
- Defense. In a game where TNT’s vaunted three-point shooting was silent, the Tropa relied on a swarming, on-point defense for the most part. With Pogoy and Mike Nieto clamping down on Barefield, the TNT defense held the Bossing to just 35.8% from the floor while also forcing 22 giveaways.
- Bol Bol. Put simply, Aquino and the Bossing just didn’t have an answer for the South Sudanese reinforcement, who did pretty much anything he pleased.
- Bench play. Other than Bol, TNT’s starters struggled, combining for just 16 points. Fortunately, the Tropa from the bench came in and scored 35, with Jayson Castro dropping 10 points, 4 rebounds, and 4 assists in arguably his best game since his return from injury. In contrast, the Blackwater bench could muster only 16 markers.
Next Up for the PBA
Wednesday, April 15, 2026 | Ynares Center – Antipolo
Converge FiberXers vs. Titan Ultra Giant Risers (5:15 p.m.)
Rain or Shine Elasto Painters vs. Terrafirma Dyip (7:30 p.m.)
