TNT Tropang 5G stared down a furious Converge rally, then found an unlikely savior in Rey Nambatac to escape with a gritty 110-103 victory in their road game at the Chavit Arena in Vigan, Ilocos Sur on Saturday, October 18.

After going scoreless for most of the night, Nambatac flipped the script in the closing minutes. He buried consecutive long bombs and calmly knocked down two free throws to spearhead a decisive late surge that turned a tense deadlock into a Tropang 5G celebration.

RR Pogoy and Kelly Williams also delivered in crunch time, draining key three-pointers that helped TNT recover from a blown 14-point cushion and snap back from a stinging loss to Barangay Ginebra earlier in the week.

Pogoy catches fire after Oftana’s hot start

TNT’s offense started with Calvin Oftana, who drained four triples in the opening half to fuel a strong start. Pogoy then took over after the break, finishing with a game-high 27 points built on six treys.

Brian Ganuelas-Rosser and Williams chipped in 14 points apiece, giving TNT multiple options as they pushed their record to 2-1 in the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup.

On the Converge side, Alec Stockton and Justin Arana each scored 19, while Justine Baltazar and Schonny Winston added 17 apiece. Juan Gomez De Liano contributed 14 as the FiberXers erased a double-digit deficit and briefly seized momentum.

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TNT survives Converge comeback

The Tropang 5G rained 10 triples in the first half to build control, compared to Converge’s four, two of which came from big man Baltazar. But the FiberXers clawed back, with Baltazar capping a key steal-and-score sequence that knotted the game at 90-all.

Nambatac then rose to the moment, drilling timely shots that shifted the game’s rhythm and silenced the FiberXers’ run. TNT’s veterans kept their composure down the stretch, securing the bounceback win in front of a lively Ilocos crowd.