ANTIPOLO — Trailing by as much as 23 points early in the game, the TNT Tropang 5G pulled off a dramatic turnaround to escape the Meralco Bolts 100–98 in overtime during the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup at Ynares Center.
It was left-handed guard Rey Nambatac who delivered the final blow — a hop-step jumper in the final nine-tenths of a second of overtime — to clinch the victory for TNT.
Nambatac finished the night with 22 points, 4 rebounds and 2 assists, while teammate Calvin Oftana poured in 24 points, grabbed 5 boards and had 4 steals. Meanwhile, Chris Newsome led Meralco’s effort off the bench with 24 points, 5 rebounds and 6 assists.
TNT’s path to victory looked bleak after falling behind 46–23 in the second quarter, but a steady rally through the third and fourth quarters brought them back into contention. At 2:26 remaining in regulation, Nambatac buried a four-point shot to cut the lead to 84–85. Later, he sank another four-pointer to give TNT a 90–87 lead, though Meralco forced overtime with a Newsome three-pointer.
In overtime, the Tropang 5G kept their composure, and when the dust settled, Nambatac’s buzzer-beater sealed the deal. The win lifts TNT to a 4-1 record, tying them for the top of the standings, while Meralco falls to 3-4.
Head coach Chot Reyes praised the entire squad’s resilience, noting that it takes the collective effort of the team — but that in crunch time “big-time players make big shots.”
For Meralco, the collapse after a dominant start is a tough pill to swallow. The Bolts had control for much of the game, but were unable to close it out when it counted most. Cliff Hodge chipped in 21 and 10 boards for the Bolts, but it wasn’t enough.
It was the type of comeback that reminds every fan why the PBA remains compelling — and shows TNT aren’t ready to relinquish their top-spot chase just yet.
