ANTIPOLO — Don Trollano delivered the response San Miguel Beer badly needed, igniting a dominant bench performance as the Beermen steamrolled TNT, 111-92, on Friday night at the Ynares Center to even the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup Finals at one game apiece.
After being limited to just four points in a narrow Game 1 loss, Trollano came out aggressive and purposeful, erupting for a game-high 22 points to anchor a massive 58-point output from the San Miguel reserves. It was a sharp contrast from the 27 bench points the Beermen managed in the series opener and proved decisive in their emphatic bounce-back.
Trollano set the tone early, pouring in eight points in the opening quarter as he teamed up with Juami Tiongson, who added nine, to fuel a blistering 30-18 start. When TNT attempted to mount a comeback in the third period, Trollano answered again with seven timely points to steady San Miguel and preserve a commanding 75-61 cushion.
“Mindset ko talaga bumawi kasi Game 1 pangit ng laro ko. Inisip ko lang, hindi kami pwedeng ma-down two games,” said Trollano, last season’s Mr. Quality Minutes awardee. “Ginawa ko best ko para makatulong sa team.”
Jericho Cruz also rediscovered his touch, finishing with 12 points after a quiet Game 1, while Rodney Brondial provided muscle inside with six points and 12 rebounds before exiting late due to an ankle injury.
More than the scoring, it was San Miguel’s defensive intensity that defined the night. After surrendering 56 points in the first two quarters of Game 1, the Beermen clamped down on the Tropang 5G, allowing just 33 points in the entire first half of Game 2.
“Biggest impact tonight was our defense. Unlike last game, we had a lot of energy and we were focused,” said head coach Leo Austria. “Malaki rin ang ambag ng bench namin. Last game, around 30 percent lang. Tonight, 65 percent. That’s huge.”
Austria also highlighted San Miguel’s dominance on the boards, where the Beermen flipped the script by outrebounding TNT, 50-35, after being beaten 55-42 in the opener.
Rey Nambatac paced TNT with 17 points, but the Tropang 5G struggled to find consistent support. Game 1 standouts Kelly Williams and Henry Galinato were held to eight and five points, respectively, Simon Enciso went scoreless, and Calvin Oftana was limited to 11 as TNT failed to sustain its Finals momentum.
With the series now reset, San Miguel’s resounding Game 2 performance sent a clear message: the Beermen’s depth and defensive edge are very much back in play.