NO quick route to the semifinals.
Rain or Shine didn't give that to second seed NLEX.
And later TNT denied third seed Magnolia of the same as the Tropang 5G kept their grand slam aspiration alive with an 89-88 escape win versus the Hotshots in a nerve-wracking duel at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig Wednesday night.
RR Pogoy poured in 30 points and himself sparked their crucial run in the fourth quarter to seize control before the Tropa needed to buck the Hotshots' own fightback to salvage the game that kept them alive in the PBA Philippine Cup playoffs.
"Mindset ko lang eh ayaw ko magpatalo, ayaw ko mag-bakasyon," said Pogoy in delivering the lifesaver to TNT, allowing them to send the Hotshots to a do-or-die setto on Sunday.
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After the rubber, either the Tropang 5G will stay in chase of a grand slam or the Hotshots will still be in the running for a first Philippine Cup crown since the last of their six all-Filipino title runs in 2014.
Calvin Oftana (with 21 points) Kelly Williams (12 points), Jordan Heading (10) and Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser (10) also played key roles for TNT in the thrilling contest.
It's a duel of runs that saw Magnolia streak to a 13-point lead in the third, the Tropa surge ahead, 88-81, in the fourth then the Hotshots get back into the game with a seven-point salvo in two possessions.
Rome dela Rosa fired a trey then Paul Lee let loose a four-ball in a quick 7-0 roll that forced an 88-all standoff with still 37.4 left to play.
The game looked headed for overtime but Williams had a crucial offensive rebound after a missed layup by Oftana and took a trip to the line on a foul by William Navarro with 6.8 seconds to go.
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Williams made the front-end of his charities and missed the second one, giving the Hotshots one final possession and a chance to steal the game.
Alas, the Hotshots didn't even get a clear shot at the basket, and the Tropa lived to fight another game.
Coach Chot Reyes' troops had a great run in the fourth, enduring flagrant infractions incurred by Poy Erram and Oftana and the exit of Brian Heruela on an injury.
Back-to-back treys by Ganuelas-Rosser and Williams, and a drive-in basket by Oftana from a steal off Zavi Lucero highlighted TNT's fourth-quarter siege.(SB)
The scores:
TNT 89 - Pogoy 30, Oftana 21, Williams 12, Heading 10, Rosser 10, Erram 4, Galinato 2, Khobuntin 0, Heruela 0, Aurin 0, Enciso 0, Varilla 0.
Magnolia 88 - Lee 15, Navarro 14, Lucero 14, Lastimosa 12, Sangalang 10, Dela Rosa 10, Barroca 6, Dionisio 4, Laput 2, Reavis 1, Alfaro 0.
Quarterscores: 18-22, 37-44, 61-65, 89-88
