The TNT Tropang 5G looked like the defending champs on Saturday, pummeling the NLEX Road Warriors on their way to a 118-112 victory before a good-sized crowd at the Ynares Center in Antipolo. With the win, the Tropang 5G booked a seat in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals and took a step toward defending their crown.
What Happened?
Despite Bol Bol committing three early fouls, TNT still raced out of the gates, dropping 36 points on NLEX thanks to strong starts by Calvin Oftana and RR Pogoy. The Road Warriors, though, stayed within striking distance as Cady Lalanne got hot himself. The Tropa continued their strong play in the second, outscoring NLEX, 28-24, to take a 64-54 lead going into halftime.
The Tropang 5G kept rolling after halftime, hitting the Road Warriors on all fronts as Oftana, Pogoy, Bol, and Jayson Castro proved unstoppable. After three, TNT was well in control with a 101-84 cushion. The defending champs extended their lead to 112-90 at the midway mark of the final frame on a Bol bucket. NLEX made things a bit interesting with a 13-2 run to creep within 113-104, but it was a little too late.
Who Stood Out?
For the second straight game, the veteran trio of Pogoy, Oftana, and Castro starred for TNT—and they were even better. Pogoy put up 21 points, 6 rebounds, and 4 assists, while Oftana fired 20 points on top of 7 rebounds. Each also took turns schooling his defender at the post. Castro, meanwhile, added 14 points to his career total and also had 8 dimes in a masterclass.
NLEX, on the other hand, pinned its hopes on Cady Lalanne, who responded with his best game as a professional ever. He dropped a career-high 46 points to go along with 15 rebounds, 3 assists, and 2 steals as he at times looked like the lone Road Warrior who wanted to win. Schonny Winston helped out, tallying 24 points to bounce back from his putrid play in Game 1.
3 Keys to the Game
- Championship pedigree. TNT simply showed why it is the defending champion. It played like a champion and closed out the show like one. The trio of Oftana, Pogoy, and Castro, in particular, embodied this championship DNA as they imposed their will in this game.
- Blazing-hot shooting. For the most part, NLEX’s 46.8% clip would be good enough against most teams. But not against TNT—especially not when the Tropa are on fire. For the game, the Tropang 5G shot a blistering 57.5% as they looked unstoppable at times.
- Points in the paint. Part of why TNT shot so well is that they routinely got to the paint, where they scored 54 in total. Bol led the way in this case, but Pogoy and Oftana also chipped in as they relentlessly posted up their smaller NLEX defenders. In contrast, the Road Warriors only scored 32 in the interior as Bol and Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser cordoned off the basket.
Next Up for the PBA
Wednesday, May 20, 2026 | Ynares Center Antipolo
TNT Tropang 5G vs. Meralco Bolts (5:15 p.m.)
Barangay Ginebra San Miguel vs. Rain or Shine Elasto Painters (7:30 p.m.)
