In a crucial game last night at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium, TNT secured their spot in the quarterfinals by defeating Magnolia, 98-93. Led by Jayson Castro and Kelly Williams, TNT finished the elimination round with a 6-5 record, avoiding the risk of a sudden death matchup for the eighth seed. Their next challenge is a best-of-three series against Rain or Shine.
Castro, playing through knee issues, delivered clutch baskets and ended the game with 18 points and seven assists. Williams, returning from injury, contributed 19 points, while Brian Heruela added 13 off the bench. Coach Chot Reyes credited the team’s success to the performances of Heruela and Kib Montalbo.
In another game, NLEX also advanced to the next round with a narrow 76-72 win over Barangay Ginebra. With these results, the quarterfinals lineup is set, with San Miguel, Ginebra, Meralco, TNT, Rain or Shine, NLEX, and Magnolia securing their spots. NorthPort and Terrafirma will battle it out for the final quarterfinal berth on Wednesday.
