TNT Tropang 5G Takes Game 1 Victory in PBA Philippine Cup Finals

Despite a strong second half comeback effort from San Miguel Beermen, a well-balanced offensive approach of TNT Tropang 5G led to a 96-91 Game 1 victory in the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup Finals on Wednesday night at Ynares Center Antipolo. Here, we assess how TNT got into a quick headstart, timely contributions from role players, and the things that San Miguel can capitalize even more in the coming game of this finals series. TNT attacks the holes of San Miguel's defense San Miguel's defensive foundation has long been anchored on drop coverage, largely because June Mar Fajardo and Mo Tautuaa are not built to consistently defend in space. TNT clearly identified this early and went straight to exploiting it through repeated ball-screen actions. With Fajardo sitting back, the Beermen were forced to concede either open pull-ups or driving lanes -- openings that TNT was more than willing to attack. This was where Kelly Williams became an unlikely but crucial pressure point. While the 43-year-old struggled from deep at just 1-of-6 from three, the drop gave him a runway to build momentum downhill. Off pick-and-rolls, Williams consistently turned the corner, using his strength and quick first step to get to the rim or force defensive rotations. He also hurt San Miguel in transition, sprinting past Fajardo to generate early offense. The result was a productive all-around night of 16 points, nine rebounds and three assists in 30 minutes. And when the Beermen adjusted by sending early help, Williams made the right short-roll reads, repeatedly finding Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser lurking in the dunker spot, especially during crunch time. Of course, that pick-and-roll attack doesn't hum without a guard capable of bending the defense, and Rey Nambatac filled that role. Even without an efficient shooting night by his standards, Nambatac's value showed in his decision-making. He consistently got to the paint, collapsed the defense, and kept TNT organized. His 11 points, five rebounds and six assists don't fully capture his impact, particularly with two timely three-pointers in the fourth quarter that helped blunt San Miguel's late push. As a complementary wrinkle, TNT also looked to Calvin Oftana in the post, taking advantage of mismatches against the smaller Jericho Cruz. Those touches helped Oftana find rhythm after a tough shooting night, while also opening passing angles for cutters and spot-up shooters. He finished with 13 points, ten rebounds and five assists, which reflected how TNT's varied attack kept San Miguel's defense constantly reacting rather than dictating. Simon Enciso and Henry Galinato step up for TNT Both teams came into the series with enough depth to support their main stars, so Game 1 ultimately came down to which supporting cast could tilt the margins. In the opener, that edge clearly belonged to TNT, which received timely and efficient offense from Simon Enciso and Henry Galinato to complement their primary options. As Enciso got the start, he provided an early offensive spark with his perimeter shot-making. His confidence from deep helped fuel TNT's first-half momentum, as he scored eight of his ten points in the opening period. More importantly, those baskets came on tough and contested looks -- shots that not only stretched San Miguel's defense but also served as early momentum shifters in a Finals setting. On the inside, Galinato played the role of a reliable finisher. Consistently finding space off TNT's paint touches, he was prepared for dump-off passes and quick reads around the rim. The efficiency of the former UP Fighting Maroon big man stood out with 12 points on 6-of-7 shooting and his presence was a key factor in TNT holding its own against San Miguel's interior attack. By the end of the game, both teams were deadlocked at 50 points in the paint, a telling sign of Galinato's impact. Taken together, these contributions translated into a decisive advantage beyond the stars. Even with Enciso in the starting unit, TNT dominated the bench scoring, 48-27, in Game 1. That disparity is a number worth watching as the series progresses, especially if TNT continues to get this level of production from its supporting cast. Tautuaa finds ways to score against TNT; how San Miguel can take advantage of turnovers A key second-half adjustment by head coach Leo Austria was bringing Tautuaa more directly into the offensive flow, either as a post option or as a one-pass-away threat off the ball. The move paid immediate dividends, as the Fil-Tongan center erupted for a conference-high 22 points on an ultra-efficient 70.3 TS%. Tautuaa's aggression provided a much-needed secondary pillar alongside June Mar Fajardo, who delivered a typically dominant outing with 24 points and 17 rebounds on 54.5% shooting. By giving Tautuaa more assertive touches whether through hard drives, decisive post-ups, or well-timed pop-and-roll-and-replace actions -- San Miguel forced TNT's bigs to stay engaged on multiple fronts. This prevented TNT from loading up solely on Fajardo and added variety to the Beermen's halfcourt offense. If this approach continues, Tautuaa's presence could stretch TNT's interior defense and can demand tighter and more disciplined coverage moving forward in this series. Another swing factor came from TNT's ball security. The Tropang 5G committed 19 turnovers, which San Miguel converted into 25 points off turnovers. If the Beermen encounter resistance scoring consistently in the halfcourt, leaning into this pressure-based approach could be a viable counter. Generating offense against a scrambling, non-set TNT defense in transition may well be a crucial emphasis heading into Game 2.