Kelly Williams claims there is nothing to celebrate after helping TNT stay alive in the PBA Finals

The TNT Tropang Giga kept their hopes of winning the elusive PBA Grand Slam alive by bouncing back to beat the San Miguel Beermen in Game 5 of the Philippine Cup Finals, 86–78, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Wednesday, July 23.

TNT narrowed the deficit in the best-of-seven finals series to 2–3 and had Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser to thank for the victory. He shone on both ends of the floor, finishing with 18 points, five rebounds, four assists, and three blocks, giving his team a much-needed lift after losing the previous three games.

Ganuelas-Rosser scored 14 of his 18 points in the first quarter and received strong support from Kelly Williams, who contributed 14 points and seven rebounds. Despite his solid performance, Williams wasn’t in a celebratory mood, knowing there is still a long way to go.

“We just have to play on Friday. That’s it. We just have to play and see what happens. There is nothing to celebrate. We are down and we have to fight. That’s it,” Williams told reporters.

In addition to his offensive production, the 43-year-old also played a critical role on defense, helping to limit PBA legend and reigning Best Player of the Conference June Mar Fajardo to just 13 points, a key factor in TNT’s Game 5 win.

ALIVE AND KICKING 👊

🖊️@reubensports

BGR, Vosotros and Kelly Williams stand out as TNT keeps grand slam bid alive with a defensive masterclass in Game Five #PBAFinals

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— SPIN.ph (@spinph) July 23, 2025

The Tropang Giga are aiming to become just the fourth franchise in the league’s 49-year history to win a PBA Grand Slam, following Crispa (twice), San Miguel Beermen (1989), and San Mig Coffee (now Purefoods) in 2014.

“Most of these guys have been there for the first two championships, so they know there is nothing to celebrate until the trophy’s up or the last buzzer sounds. All we are thinking about is Friday. Being down 3–1 coming into Game 5 didn’t affect our mindset. We’ll just play on Friday, because that’s all that matters,” he added.

Williams will need to take on even more responsibility in Game 6, as TNT continues to deal with multiple injuries. The team is already without Jayson Castro and Rey Nambatac, and will now also miss Poy Erram, who has been ruled out for the remainder of the PBA Finals due to a knee injury.

Williams and the Tropang Giga will look to keep fighting and level the series when they face the Beermen in Game 6 on Friday, July 25, at the PhilSports Arena.

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