Pogoy, Erram, Oftana erupt as sizzling Tropang 5G trounce Painters

MANILA, Philippines — RR Pogoy, Poy Erram and Calvin Oftana combined for 94 points to tow the TNT Tropang 5G to their fourth straight win in the PBA Philippine Cup, this time at the expense of the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters, 111-103, Wednesday at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.

Pogoy finished with 35 points, while Erram had a career-high 31 markers. Oftana, for his part, had 28 points. The three combined for 33-of-57 shooting from the field, including seven 3-pointers.

This thus hiked the Tropang 5G to a record of 4-3. They lost their first three games but have strung together four straight victories.

Rain or Shine, on the other hand, dropped to an identical 4-3 slate, seeing their two-game win streak snapped.

“Our approach is just to make sure that we get better every day. And to do that, we have to make sure that we have good practices. We really had a good week of practice, So much so that we stopped practicing because it was just getting too intense already,” TNT head coach Chot Reyes said.

“That's the only way we can compete. With our lack of manpower, we don't have the talent or the depth of the other teams. So we just have to be better. We have to be connected so that the sum of our parts becomes greater than the whole. And I think that's the only way that we can compete,” he added.

The game was tight through the fourth quarter, with Rain or Shine leading by four, 86-82, with 9:47 remaining after a Jhonard Clarito layup.

But seven straight points capped by an Erram jumper pushed TNT ahead for good, 89-86.

Adrian Nocum answered back with a layup to cut the lead to one, 88-89, but a 12-1 run capped by a Pogoy jumper flung the Tropang 5G to a double-digit lead, 101-89, with 4:20 remaining.

The Painters tried to mount a comeback, but they could not creep closer than the eight-point deficit at the end of the contest.

Aside from the troika, no other TNT player finished in double digits. Simon Enciso added eight points and six assists, while Glenn Khobuntin had five markers.

Andrei Caracut spearheaded Rain or Shine with 20 points, five rebounds and two assists. Gian Mamuyac chipped in 18 markers, seven dimes and six boards, while Clarito had 17.

The Painters will take on the Phoenix Fuel Masters next on Wednesday, while the Tropang 5G will face the NorthPort Batang Pier next Friday.