TNT holds off San Miguel to take Game 1 of PBA Finals

For three quarters, TNT Tropang 5G looked like it was on its way to a comfortable Finals opener. By the end of the night, it was the team’s composure — not its early firepower — that mattered most.

TNT had to withstand a late surge and a nervy finish before escaping San Miguel Beer, 96–91, to seize Game 1 of the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup Finals on Wednesday night at the Ynares Center.

The Tropang 5G burst out with purpose, overwhelming the Beermen with pace, ball movement, and a relentless inside-out attack that built a lead as large as 19. Their offense flowed, the shots fell, and San Miguel looked momentarily rattled by TNT’s depth and physicality.

That cushion, however, proved fragile.

As expected from a veteran-laden San Miguel side, the Beermen regrouped after halftime. The game slowed, the paint became a battleground, and the Finals tension finally arrived. Twice in the final seven minutes, San Miguel crept to within a single point, threatening to flip the script in a game that once seemed out of reach.

In those moments, TNT leaned on collective resolve rather than a single closer.Calvin Oftana and Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser delivered timely baskets to steady the ship, while Jordan Heading provided the calm finishing touches at the foul line. 

Heading’s perfect free throws in the final 15.2 seconds ultimately shut the door, aided by missed chances from June Mar Fajardo and Don Trollano on the other end.

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TNT takes G1. #PBA50 #PBA50LID pic.twitter.com/i24rPWfpGf

— PBA (@pbaconnect) January 21, 2026

It was a win built on balance. Six TNT players scored in double figures, with Kelly Williams quietly setting the tone. The former MVP finished with 15 points, nine rebounds, and three assists, but his impact went beyond the box score. 

His back-to-back drop passes to Ganuelas-Rosser late in the fourth quarter led to crucial inside baskets that stretched the lead to 90–83 and momentarily blunted San Miguel’s momentum.

San Miguel still refused to fold. Defensive stops by Mo Tautua’a and Jericho Cruz forced turnovers and fueled one last push, trimming the gap to 92–91 with 21.4 seconds remaining. But TNT executed when it mattered most, while the Beermen could not convert their final looks.

Oftana stuffed the stat sheet with 13 points, 10 rebounds, and five assists. Heading added 13 points and eight boards despite battling illness. Henry Galinato Jr. chipped in 12, Rey Nambatac posted 11 points, five rebounds, and six assists, and Simon Enciso maximized a rare start with 10 points.

For San Miguel, Fajardo once again loomed large, pouring in 24 points and grabbing 17 rebounds against a deep TNT frontline. Tautua’a backed him up with 22 points, while CJ Perez filled the lanes with 16 points, seven rebounds, and six assists. Still, the Beermen’s late comeback fell just short.

Game 1 served as an early reminder of what this Finals series could become: TNT’s depth and pace versus San Miguel’s resilience and championship DNA. With TNT drawing first blood in the race-to-four, both teams now turn their attention to Game 2 on Friday — still at Ynares Center — where adjustments, not emotions, may decide the next swing in momentum.

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