TNT escapes San Miguel in Game 1 thriller of PBA Philippine Cup Finals

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TNT opened the PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup Finals with a dramatic 99-96 win over the San Miguel Beermen on Sunday, July 13, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, thanks to a blazing start and a game-saving video review in the final seconds.

The Tropang Giga raced to a 24-point lead behind hot shooting from Jordan Heading and RR Pogoy, only to see their advantage wiped out by a determined San Miguel rally. But with 6.4 seconds left and the game hanging in the balance, a potential go-ahead basket by Moala Tautuaa was waved off following a video review that ruled offensive interference, giving TNT back a 97-96 lead.

Jordan Heading leads TNT’s early scoring burst with three treys in the first half. [PBA Images]

Pogoy returns, Heading erupts, TNT holds on

RR Pogoy made a triumphant return after missing four games, exploding for 23 points in just 18 minutes, including three three-pointers and two four-point conversions. He nailed a deep shot at the buzzer to end the first half, which TNT led 61-41.

Jordan Heading fired 17 points in the first half and finished with 19, while Calvin Oftana added 13 points, including clutch free throws with 3.6 seconds remaining to extend the lead to 99-96.

Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser also stepped up, delivering 13 points, including a monster two-handed slam that ended TNT’s seven-minute scoring drought in the fourth.

Beermen storm back but fall short at buzzer

San Miguel nearly completed a comeback for the ages, led by June Mar Fajardo’s 26 points and 15 rebounds and CJ Perez’s 19 points and 11 boards. The Beermen rallied hard in the fourth, closing the gap and nearly turning the game in their favor until the controversial call on Tautuaa’s tip-in.

Perez had a chance to tie the game at the buzzer but missed a three-point shot, allowing TNT to escape with the win and take a 1-0 lead in the best-of-seven series.

TNT shot a blistering 51.2 percent in the first half, including 9-of-17 from beyond the arc and 3-of-4 from the four-point area. The Tropang Giga also outscored the Beermen 45-5 in perimeter points, showing early signs of offensive brilliance that ultimately made the difference in a wild Game 1.