TNT takes 1-0 lead vs Rain or Shine in PBA quarterfinals
TNT’s Kelly Williams finished with 19 points and 10 boards against Rain Or Shine in Game One of their quarterfinals duel in the PBA Philippine Cup on Friday, May 10, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City. PBA IMAGE
TNT caught fire in the second half and scored a runaway 116-99 victory against Rain or Shine in Game One of their best-of-three quarterfinals duel in the PBA Philippine Cup on Friday, May 10, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.
The Tropang Giga relied on their “big 3” of Calvin Oftana, Roger Pogoy and Kelly Williams to outscore the Elasto Painters, 61-47, in the last two periods to secure the important head start in the short series.
Oftana fired 32 points, Pogoy added 26, while Williams collected 19 points and 10 boards for the Tropang Giga.
The 6-foot-7 Williams also sizzled from long range after connecting five of his nine three-point attempts in the game.
TNT shot a scorching 51.1 percent from the floor, and dominated the boards, 58-39, against the shorter Rain or Shine.
Leonard Santillan led the Elastopainters with 23 points as Mark Borboran added 13 and Andrei Caracut and rookie Keith Datu scored 11 apiece.
Veteran big man Beau Belga, who entered the playoffs averaging over 17 markers, scored just five points on a 2-of-10 shooting.