The TNT Tropang 5G and Meralco Bolts opened the year with Game 1 of their PBA Philippine Cup semifinals clash, and they delivered slam-bang action at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. A Bolts run-out appeared in the offing, but the Tropa flipped the script in the second half to eke out a 100–95 come-from-behind victory and go up 1–0 in what promises to be a hard-fought series both ways.
What Happened?
Meralco provided some early fireworks, zooming ahead, 38–26, after one quarter behind 13 early points from CJ Cansino. The Bolts extended their lead to as much as 21 in the second quarter as TNT groped for form. But the Tropa gradually found their stride, attacking the paint rather than settling for the long ball. TNT tied things up at 70 near the end of the third quarter and settled for a 74–74 deadlock heading into the fourth.
The two teams then engaged in a back-and-forth payoff period, with the Bolts retaking the lead at 88–86 and the Tropa nudging back ahead again—this time for good—at 90–89. Meralco was still within 96–95, but the TNT defense held steady in crunch time to keep the Bolts from netting the marginal baskets.
Who Stood Out?
The three-headed monster of Calvin Oftana, Rey Nambatac, and RR Pogoy led TNT’s mighty fightback, with each taking a turn attacking Meralco’s interior defense. Oftana was the star of stars with 28 points and seven rebounds, while Nambatac and Pogoy added 17 and 16, respectively. The three also combined to go 21-for-26 from the foul line.
For Meralco, it was Chris Banchero who starred, firing a team-high 16 points to keep the Bolts in the thick of things in the face of TNT’s searing second half. Chris Newsome added 13 points, three rebounds, and four assists and very nearly helped the Bolts avert their monumental collapse.
3 Keys to the Game
- Attack, attack, attack. TNT shot just 3-for-21 from beyond the arc, which normally would have been disastrous. But the Tropa made up for their poor outside shooting by relentlessly attacking Meralco’s interior defense. This aggressiveness resulted in TNT taking 47 free throws and making 37 of them. Meralco, in contrast, was just 12-for-19.
- Poise. TNT looked all out of sorts for much of the first half but didn’t panic—even with Meralco building a 21-point lead. The Tropa also didn’t settle for the outside shot—their bread and butter most of the time—knowing full well it wasn’t falling. Instead, Oftana and company figured out ways to puncture the Meralco defense by attacking over and over.
- Calvin Oftana. Oftana was particularly aggressive in Game 1, taking over the TNT offense by getting to the paint time and time again. He also made the big plays down the stretch, either for himself as a scorer or as a playmaker setting up his teammates. Oftana was so on point that the Bolts had no choice but to double-team him in the fourth.
Next Up for the PBA
The PBA Philippine Cup semifinals will continue on Wednesday, also at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, this time with Meralco and TNT playing in the nightcap. Barangay Ginebra San Miguel and the San Miguel Beermen will open the action in Game 2 of their own series.
Ginebra vs. San Miguel (5:15 p.m.)
Meralco vs. TNT (7:30 p.m.)
