TNT Tropang 5G struck first in the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup Finals after holding off defending champion San Miguel Beer, 96-91, on Wednesday night, January 21, at the Ynares Sports Center. The Tropang 5G led from start to finish but were forced to dig deep late to secure the opening win in the race-to-four series.

TNT stormed out of the gate and dictated the tempo early, carving out a double-digit lead within the opening quarter. The early burst allowed the Tropa to control the game flow and keep the Beermen playing catch-up for most of the night.

The Tropang 5G stretched their lead to as many as 19 points and appeared headed for a comfortable victory midway through the third quarter. San Miguel, however, slowly clawed its way back and turned the opener into a tense finish.

TNT builds cushion, controls first half

Working as a cohesive unit, TNT repeatedly beat San Miguel to loose balls and second-chance opportunities in the opening half. The Tropang 5G dominated the boards and limited the Beermen’s interior scoring during their early run.

TNT carried a commanding 53-36 advantage into halftime after controlling both ends of the floor. The Tropa’s rebounding edge and ball movement allowed them to absorb several San Miguel runs without surrendering control.

Kelly Williams anchored the effort with 15 points, nine rebounds, and three assists, setting the tone with his physical play inside. Six TNT players finished in double figures, underscoring the team’s balanced attack.

San Miguel rallies, TNT holds firm late

San Miguel finally mounted a serious threat in the fourth quarter as June Mar Fajardo and Moala Tautuaa sparked a furious rally. The Beermen pulled within 78-77 midway through the final canto and later closed the gap to 92-91 after back-to-back TNT turnovers.

With momentum swinging, TNT relied on poise rather than pace to survive the pressure. Jordan Heading calmly buried four straight free throws in the closing seconds to seal the victory and halt San Miguel’s surge.

Calvin Oftana delivered a 13-point, 10-rebound double-double, while Heading added 13 points and eight rebounds. Henry Galinato finished with 12 points, Rey Nambatac had 11, Simon Enciso scored 10, and Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser chipped in eight, including six in the homestretch.

Fajardo led San Miguel with 24 points and 17 rebounds, while Tautuaa added 22, but the Beermen could not fully erase the damage from TNT’s blistering start. TNT finished with a 31-19 rebounding advantage and survived despite late turnovers.

“It’s just one game,” Williams said. “We’ll take the same approach — one game at a time — for the whole series.”