WITH another display of torrid shooting, the TNT Tropang 5G stretched their roll and hit the .500 mark with a 101-84 disposal of the Meralco Bolts in the PBA Philippine Cup at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium Sunday night.
The Tropang 5G shut the lights out with a 16-of-32 three-point shooting plus one four-ball as against the Bolts’ measly three hits from beyond the arc.
RR Pogoy and Calvin Oftana led TNT’s searing assault with five three-point bombs each with Glenn Khobuntin and Kelly Williams tossing in two apiece and Simon Enciso and Rey Nambatac one each as the Tropa notched a third straight win in a turnaround from a 0-3 start in the all-Filipino tourney.
Pogoy, Oftana and Nambatac themselves had key conversions in TNT’s closing attack from 77-all count en route to dealing the Bolts a fourth defeat against three wins.
Pogoy finished with a game-high 34 points, Oftana wound up with 28 while Nambatac and Poy Erram added 13 and 10 for the Tropang Giga who are now inside the Top Eight in the leaderboard.
It’s a remarkable rise for TNT with successive wins over San Miguel Beer, Terrafirma and Meralco after a fumbling 0-3 start with setbacks against NLEX, Converge and Phoenix.
Pogoy took his turn to be the lead gun and sealed the deal with a four-point bomb making it 97-82 with a little over a minute left to play.
It was actually a tight game early on, with the Bolts still ahead at 72-69 at the start of the fourth.
Cliff Hodge drilled in 23 to lead the Bolts who also drew double-digit outputs from Chris Newsome (18), Aaron Black (15), Raymond Almazan (12) and Bong Quinto (11).
The Tropang 5G led 45-40 at the half.
The scores:
TNT 101 – Pogoy 34, Oftana 28, Nambatac 13, Erram 10, Khobuntin 6, Williams 6, Enciso 4, Heruela 0, Varilla 0, Aurin 0.
Meralco 84 – Hodge 23, Newsome 18, Black 15, Almazan 12, Quinto 11, Banchero 3, Cansino 2, Bates 0, Jose 0, Maguliano 0, Rios 0.