At A Glance
- TNT bucked a slow start then banked on the three-way assault of Poy Erram, RR Pogoy and Calvin Oftana to take down Rain or Shine, 111-103, in the PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup at the Ynares Center in Antipolo on Wednesday, May 21.
TNT bucked a slow start then banked on the three-way assault of Poy Erram, RR Pogoy and Calvin Oftana to take down Rain or Shine, 111-103, in the PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup at the Ynares Center in Antipolo on Wednesday, May 21.
Pogoy dropped a second-straight 30-point showing while Erram posted a career-best scoring as the Tropang 5G clawed back from an early 14-point hole before seizing control in the third frame to catch the Elasto Painters on similar 4-3 records in the standings.
Pogoy, Erram and Oftana actually all scored in double figures in the pivotal third quarter explosion, combining for 32 of the team’s 33 points.
After erupting for 34 in TNT’s 101-84 win over Meralco in its last game, Pogoy’s hands hardly cooled down and still fired 35 points – 19 of which he poured in the second half.
Erram provided support with career-high 31 points, six rebounds, two steals and two blocks in just 21 minutes of play while Oftana, after a slow start, also caught fire in the second half to finish with 28.
On a high after handing Magnolia its first taste of defeat last game, Rain or Shine came out waxing hot and erected a 31-17 lead late in the opening frame.
Just when the Elasto Painters were looking to break the game wide open though, the Tropang 5G tightened up their defensive screws, limiting ROS to just 14 points in the second quarter to get back into the game.
Getting its bearings going, TNT slowly but surely created some sort of separation in the third quarter to send ROS crashing back to earth, snapping its two-game winning streak.
Andrei Caracut led ROS with 20 points while Gian Mamuyac and Jhonard Clarito had 18 and 17, respectively, in a losing effort.