RR Pogoy dropped the biggest points in the stretch on Wednesday night and saved TNT KaTropa from imploding, with an 85-80 nipping of NLEX giving the Texters their first win in the PBA Philippine Cup eliminations at Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao.
Pogoy hit a triple with 43 seconds left for five-point lead and then sealed the deal with two free throws with 2.6 ticks to play as the Texters finally broke their silence while dealing the Road Warriors a third straight defeat.
TNT was leading comfortably going into the latter half of the fourth period when the Road Warriors–who incidentally lost coach Yeng Guiao to two technical fouls a few minutes before–mounted a last-minute charge with Poy Erram leading the way.
Erram hit three straight baskets that had the Road Warriors creeping within 79-77, and then had a triple after that Pogoy trey to make it 80-82 going into the final 35 seconds only for NLEX to fail to execute in their next offensive.