Pogoy leads TNT to Game 1 win over Magnolia, keeps grand slam bid alive

RR Pogoy ignited a late surge to propel TNT to a thrilling 89-88 victory over Magnolia, keeping their grand slam bid alive in the PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup quarterfinals.

With key guards Jayson Castro and Rey Nambatac absent, Pogoy stepped up, scoring a game-high 30 points, including 12 crucial points in the fourth quarter.

TNT trailed by four points entering the final quarter but managed to tie the game with a triple from Pogoy and a free throw from Calvin Oftana following a technical foul on Mark Barroca.

Timely three-pointers from Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser and Kelly Williams, followed by a layup from Oftana, gave TNT a seven-point lead.

Magnolia mounted a fierce comeback, with Rome Dela Rosa hitting a triple and Paul Lee sinking a four-point play to tie the game at 88-all.

Pogoy's late-game heroics secured the one-point win for TNT, forcing a decisive Game 2.

Pogoy expressed his determination to avoid elimination, stating, "I just really didn't want to lose this game, I didn't want to go on vacation."