TNT showed no mercy and pounced on an import-less Rain or Shine side, scoring a 110-91 romp to notch its second win in the 2022 PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Saturday, Oct. 15.

With the Elasto Painters playing without reinforcement Steve Taylor Jr. due to health and safety protocol, the Tropang Giga pulled away for good in the second half behind RR Pogoy, Jayson Castro and Cameron Oliver.
Oliver provided a steady presence for TNT with 21 points and eight rebounds while Pogoy unloaded eight of his 15 points in the third quarter breakaway. Jayson Castro also made a successful return from an ankle injury he sustained in the Philippine Cup Finals with 10 points and six assists.
Calvin Oftana and Jaydee Tungcab were the other Tropa in twin digits with 15 and 14 points, respectively.
TNT went off to a hot start in the opening quarter, drilling eight three pointers that created a sizable margin 41-20 at the end of the first 12 minutes of the contest.
Rain or Shine, banking on its all-Filipino crew, remained competitive in the first half, retaliating with its own scoring onslaught in the second quarter to cut the deficit back to single digits at the break, 55-50.
Young guns Andrei Caracut, Santi Santillan and Rey Nambatac were at the forefront of the assault as Rain or Shine exploded for 30 points while limiting TNT to just 14 in the second frame.
That, however, proved to be the last stand for the Elasto Painters as Castro, Pogoy and Oliver went on to work again in the first few minutes of the third quarter to reestablish a double-digit spread that went to as many as 23, 87-64 heading into the final frame.
Nambatac unloaded 20 points, four rebounds and four assists while Andrei Caracut and Anton Asistio had 12 and 11 points, respectively, in a losing effort.