The TNT Tropang Giga (2-0) took control early and cruised to a dominant 109-92 win over the Meralco Bolts (0-2). Meanwhile, the San Miguel Beermen (1-1) flipped the switch in the second half to even their series with a convincing 93-84 victory over Barangay Ginebra San Miguel (1-1) in Game 2 of the PBA Philippine Cup semifinals on January 7.
Here are the players who made the biggest impact and the stats to prove it:
TOP PERFORMERS OF THE DAY:
June Mar Fajardo SMB C 21 PTS | 23 REB | 1 BLK | 50.1 FPS
JMF has been an undeniable presence in the paint, posting his third straight 20–20 game and becoming the first player in league history to achieve the feat. He was a too-dominant offensive force, also racking up back-to-back games with 10 offensive boards while shooting 69% from the field in his last four games.
Calvin John Oftana TNT SF 26 PTS | 7 REB | 1 BLK | 37.4 FPS
Oftana continues to shine on offense, going 10-for-15 from the field and hitting four threes for his fourth 25-plus-point performance in five games. He also added solid value on the boards, posting at least 7 rebounds for the third time in that span.
Clifford Marion Hodge MER PF 18 PTS | 7 REB | 2 BLK | 33.4 FPS
Hodge had a subpar performance in Game 1, but he made a much bigger impact in Game 2, leading the team in both scoring and rebounding. In the elimination rounds, he also had a big game against TNT, going off for a conference-high 21 points with 10 rebounds.
Jordan Timothy Heading TNT SG 24 PTS | 2 REB | 1 STL | 30.9 FPS
Heading finished with just nine points in Game 1, but he eclipsed that total in the first quarter alone of Game 2 to give TNT a 10-point advantage. He also stayed effective throughout and finished with his third 20-point outing in his last four games. After struggling early in the conference, Heading appears to have found his rhythm, averaging 19 points over his last eight games.
Stephen Jeffrey Holt GIN SG 18 PTS | 3 REB | 5 AST | 30.1 FPS
Holt has been in a slump in his last three games, averaging 8.7 points while shooting 8-for-28 from the field. But he responded well in Game 2, tying for the team-high in scoring while converting all four of his three-point shots and only missing just one of seven attempts overall.
Christopher Elijah Newsome MER SG 18 PTS | 5 REB | 4 AST | 29.0 FPS
In two games against TNT, Newsome has been a solid offensive contributor. But with Meralco falling behind 0–2, he’ll need to step up and make a much bigger impact. During the eliminations, he delivered an elite performance against the Tropang Giga, erupting for 24 points, 5 rebounds, and 6 assists.
Rhon Jay Abarrientos GIN PG 18 PTS | 3 REB | 2 STL | 28.6 FPS
Over his previous five games, RJ has been playing on another level, averaging 25.4 points and nearly 3 three-pointers per game while going 45-for-49 from the line. He followed that up with another effective performance in Game 2 against San Miguel, knocking down 4-of-9 from deep, but it wasn’t enough for the win.
Kier John Quinto MER SF 13 PTS | 5 REB | 3 AST | 25.5 FPS
Quinto continues to contribute across the board, but his inconsistency on offense remains an issue. He’s scored in double-figures eight times but also put up 7 or fewer points six times this conference.
Jeron Alvin Teng SMB SF 13 PTS | 5 REB | 3 AST | 23.5 FPS
After not playing in Game 1, Teng emerged as the difference-maker in Game 2. He impacted the game in multiple ways, but his biggest contribution came in the fourth quarter, where he scored 12 points to help San Miguel stay ahead and even the series at 1-1.
BIGGEST DISAPPOINTMENT OF THE DAY:
Crispin John Cansino MER SF 9 PTS | 1 REB | 1 AST
Cansino had a solid run in the eliminations, scoring 20 or more points seven times. But he hasn’t been the same in the playoffs, averaging 12.8 points in four games while also being less effective in other areas.
