The returning Kelly Williams and Poy Erram put up vital contributions that enabled TNT to move one win away from advancing to the PBA Philippine Cup Finals with the Game 5 rout of semis foe San Miguel Beer.

Williams didn’t miss a step in his first game back from the league’s health and safety protocols while Erram played like he was not wearing any mask to protect his fractured cheekbone as the Tropang GIga bounced back from their Game 4 embarrassment with a 110-90 win.

“Credit to those two guys,” said coach Chot Reyes. “They came out, and they gave us huge minutes, even in less than ideal circumstances.”

Reyes said having the two provided a lift for a TNT side that was smarting from a 26-point setback the last time.

Erram left Game 4 when his face slammed onto the floor while chasing for the ball while Williams had not played since TNT eliminated Barangay Ginebra San Miguel in the quarterfinals.

“It's hard enough to compete minus one of our big guys. Now you lose our two big guys, and couple that with the fact that we came out flat, that's the learning,” said Reyes when asked what was the biggest takeaway from that setback.

Reyes placed Williams in the starting lineup despite the long respite, and the 40-year-old responded with 12 points and three rebounds.

Having the 2008 Most Valuable Player also gave TNT an additional big man to counter SMB’s June Mar Fajardo and Mo Tautuaa, who scored most of his 25 points inside the paint in previous match.

“They've been giving us huge problems throughout the series, so having that extra big man was very big,” said the TNT mentor. “We didn't know if he (Williams) could play until this morning, we had to wait until he passed his antigen test, same with everyone.”

One of Williams’ baskets later resulted in an accidental hit on Troy Rosario, who sustained a cut above his left eye, leading to the entry of Erram.

Erram hit one of the five consecutive threes that enabled TNT to pull away from a 13-9 lead and turn the match into a blowout until the end.

He finished with 10 points and six rebounds in 24 minutes despite being a game-time decision.

“Up to yesterday, he really had a hard time, he was struggling with it. But in the end, we had no choice e, di ba?” Reyes said. “It was very dangerous for him to play without it, having a fractured cheekbone, and you know how physical the series is, how physical it is in there. So he really had to have that mask on.

“So, we're just finding ways, ginagawan na lang niya talaga ng paraan, and really, you know, shoutout to the courage that Poy is showing. Putting his body and quite literally, his face on the line. And we just hope that we can continue getting good things out of all of our players.”

It was the fourth time in the series that TNT built big leads, this time getting a 3-2 lead in the semifinal showdown.

But Game 6 set Friday, Oct. 15 could see another big adjustment from SMB, which will try to counter Erram, Williams and Rosario, who wound up getting 17 points and eight rebounds after his cut was covered with a plaster.