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Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider Basketball devider TNT blasts cold-shooting Meralco for 2-0 lead

TNT blasts cold-shooting Meralco for 2-0 lead

Published Jan 7, 2026 10:02 pm

At A Glance

  • The Tropang 5G came out guns blazing and torched the Meralco Bolts, 109-92, to take a 2-0 lead in Game 2 of the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup semifinals at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Wednesday, Jan. 7.
Chot Reyes assured TNT won’t suffer the same flat start, and Calvin Oftana, Jordan Heading and Kelly Williams all made sure of that.
The Tropang 5G came out guns blazing and torched the Meralco Bolts, 109-92, to take a 2-0 lead in Game 2 of the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup semifinals at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Wednesday, Jan. 7.
Oftana and Heading combined for 18 points in the opening frame as TNT seized control of the contest and never looked back from there to take wire-to-wire win.
Heading started out the hot shooting for the Tropang 5G after firing 13 of his 24 points in the first half while Oftana put together an all game brilliance for 26 points and seven rebounds.
Williams also contributed to the blistering start, pouring in all of his 12 points in the first two frames where TNT led by as many as 16 points.
The lead actually ballooned to as many as 24 in the second half as the Tropang 5G provided answers to every run from the Bolts.
Cliff Hodge and Chris Newsome paced the Bolts with 18 points each but not enough especially for a poor shooting night that saw them shoot a measly 1-of-14 clip from the three-point territory.
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