The TNT Tropang 5G are 2-0 in the PBA Governors’ Cup restart after clobbering the San Miguel Beermen, 116-98, on Saturday at the Ynares Center in Antipolo. With the win, the Tropa now climb to 6-4 and are just a game behind the Beermen. With the loss, San Miguel dropped to 7-3 and failed to keep pace with Group A leaders NLEX Road Warriors.
What Happened?
Like most TNT-SMB encounters, this one had a championship feel to it, with both teams matching each other in the opening frame that the Beermen eventually won, 33-30. San Miguel continued its strong play in the second canto and even looked poised to take a seven-point lead into halftime if not for Nick Hornsby converting a coast-to-coast lay-in that made it 65-60 after one half.
Come the second half, it was all TNT. The Tropa flipped the script in the third quarter, clamping down on the mighty Beermen and holding them to just 18 points after surrendering 33 and 32 in the previous two quarters. The Tropa themselves fired 33 points in the third to turn things around and take a 93-83 lead into the final frame. Jericho Cruz opened the scoring in the fourth to make it a single-digit game, but Jayson Castro, Calvin Oftana, and RR Pogoy hit a trio of triples in succession to push TNT ahead, 102-85, with 9:31 left. San Miguel never got to within single digits again as the Tropa cruised to the win.
Who Stood Out?
It was a TNT masterclass all around, with Castro orchestrating things. The Blur finished with 13 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists and controlled the game for the Tropa. Pogoy added 21 points, 3 rebounds, and 3 assists himself, along with his usual stout defense and steady leadership. Import Nick Hornsby was quietly effective as well, tallying a team-high 23 points on top of 6 rebounds, 4 assists, and 3 steals.
San Miguel, on the other hand, leaned on George King and Cjay Perez, with the former dropping 20 points, 4 rebounds, 6 assists, and 2 blocks, and the latter coming away with 21 markers on top of 3 rebounds, 2 assists, and 2 steals. Marcio Lassiter added 16 on 3-for-3 shooting from downtown and a free throw.
3 Keys to the Game
- Three-point shooting. TNT is starting to find its mark from distance, and on Saturday, the Tropa were on-point once more as they went 14-for-31 from the arc. San Miguel, in contrast, shot just 7-for-19 from three-point range.
- Veteran takeover. The Tropa drew big games from their veterans, notably Castro, Oftana, and Pogoy, who took turns carrying the load. The three also connived to give TNT its biggest lead when they drained three straight triples at the start of the final frame.
- Second-chance points. TNT outrebounded San Miguel, 41-35, even with June Mar Fajardo corralling 18 caroms himself. The Tropang 5G also won the offensive glass, 13-11, and they made the most of that advantage by converting those extra possessions into 16 points—eight more than San Miguel.
Next Up for the PBA
Sunday, October 11, 2026 | Smart Araneta Coliseum
Converge FiberXers vs. Titan Ultra Giant Risers (5:15 p.m.)
Magnolia Hotshots vs. Barangay Ginebra San Miguel (7:30 p.m.)
