The TNT Tropang 5G squandered a 7-point lead in the fourth but escaped with an 80-79 victory against the Magnolia Hotshots. Meanwhile, the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters took control in the paint again and pulled a major upset against the #2 seed NLEX Road Warriors on June 21.
Top Performers of the Day:
Leonard Santillan (ROS PF) 24 PTS | 9 REB | 3 BLK | 51.8 FPS
Santillan has been a force on offense in both games against NLEX, shooting 11-of-15 from inside the arc and averaging 20 points. He was just as impactful on defense, finishing the game with 5 stocks and recording his seventh game this conference with 9 or more rebounds.
Robert Lee Bolick (NLX PG) 34 PTS | 6 REB | 2 STL | 49.2 FPS
Bolick had a rough shooting performance in their previous game but adjusted and attacked more this time. He was highly effective scoring 7 first quarter points and also took over in the third dropping 12 more to finish with his best scoring game in the conference. He’s been the best playmaker in the league this conference though he wasn’t able to make much of an impact in that area against ROS.
Zavier Lucero (MAG PF) 15 PTS | 10 REB | 2 BLK | 37.5 FPS
Lucero had a slow start on offense but came to life in the fourth, scoring 7 points while also controlling the boards. In three straight games against TNT, he has been a consistent contributor across the board, averaging 17.6 points, 7.3 rebounds, and 2.6 defensive stats.
Calvin John Oftana (TNT PF) 18 PTS | 7 REB | 3 STL | 36.4 FPS
Oftana got their offense going early, scoring 12 points in the first half on 5-for-7 shooting. He couldn’t maintain the momentum in the second half, but still played a big role on defense and came up with the game-winning steal.
Roger Ray Pogoy (TNT SG) 18 PTS | 7 REB | 5 AST | 33.9 FPS
Pogoy was on fire in their previous game and carried the momentum, dropping 7 points in the first quarter. He wasn’t as effective the rest of the way, but still made a big impact, finishing with his best rebounding game of the conference.
Jhonard Clarito (ROS SF) 13 PTS | 16 REB | 1 BLK | 31.7 FPS
Clarito dominated the paint in two games against NLEX, tallying 33 points on 13-of-21 shooting from two and grabbing 37 rebounds, including 10 on the offensive side.
Brandon Ramirez (NLX PF) 10 PTS | 8 REB | 2 BLK | 29.1 FPS
Ramirez has been a dependable scoring option, recording double-digit points in his last four games. He was unstoppable inside the paint, going a flawless 5-for-5 while also making a strong impact in defense.
Kelly Williams (TNT C) 10 PTS | 10 REB | 1 BLK | 29.0 FPS
Williams continues to deliver solid numbers for his position, recording his seventh double-digit scoring performance and his eighth game with at least 7 rebounds this conference. He also came up big at the free-throw line in both games against Magnolia, going 9-for-12 overall, including hitting crucial go-ahead free throws in each matchup.
Aristotle Dionisio (MAG PF) 12 PTS | 3 REB | 1 STL | 19.1 FPS
Dionisio came up big in the third quarter, scoring 10 points, including two three-pointers, to help bring his team back into the game. He had a perfect night on offense, not missing a single shot from the field or the free-throw line.
Biggest Disappointment of the Day:
Adrian Clarence Nocum (ROS SG) 5 PTS | 6 AST | 1 STL
Nocum struggled on offense, shooting just 2-of-11 from the field and posting his least productive scoring game of the conference. However, he found ways to contribute in the fourth quarter as a playmaker while playing solid defense.
