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Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider Basketball devider TNT stays cautious despite 3-1 lead

TNT stays cautious despite 3-1 lead

Published Jan 13, 2026 02:03 pm

At A Glance

  • TNT was nothing short of impressive when it seized a commanding 3-1 lead over Meralco but head coach Chot Reyes is under no illusions that they already have the semifinals series in the bag.

TNT was nothing short of impressive when it seized a commanding 3-1 lead over Meralco but head coach Chot Reyes is under no illusions that they already have the semifinals series in the bag.

In fact, that’s the least the veteran coach wants his wards to think, especially playing against a team that has its back against the wall.

An all-out war is in the offing in Game 5 as TNT tries to go for the jugular while Meralco hopes to stay alive in the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup semifinals at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Wednesday, Jan. 14.

The Tropang 5G are leaving no stones unturned as they expect a big fightback from the Bolts in the duel scheduled at 7:30 p.m. 

“We know Meralco is going to come back really hard. And I've said this since Game 1, we have no illusions that this is going to be an easy series,” said Reyes.

Providing a fitting appetizer in the thrilling contest is the semis clash over at the other bracket with San Miguel and Barangay Ginebra jockeying for the advantage in the now virtual best-of-three affair in the 5:15 p.m. affair.

“I think we are used to that. I think we perform better when our back is against the wall. I thought Game 3 was a back to the wall game and we performed well,” said Meralco head coach Luigi Trillo

The burden of adjustment is certainly on the side of the Bolts especially after the Tropang 5G made a great one after losing in the third game. 

With the Meralco defense focused on limiting outside gunners Calvin Oftana and Jordan Heading, JP Erram had his way inside the paint and put up a conference-high 27 points – something that the Bolts need to find an answer against without main man Chris Newsome.

Meanwhile in the first offering, riding the crest of the historic 30-point triple-double of Scottie Thompson, the Kings are looking to regain the series advantage after tying the game at 2-2. He finished with a career-high 35 points to go with 11 rebounds and 11 assists.

For SMB, it needs June Mar Fajardo to finally break out of his scoring slump to give the Beermen the chance to retake the series lead. The 6-foot-10 center has been limited to single digit scoring through the last two games, largely due to a nagging shoulder injury.

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