The TNT Tropang Giga drew first blood in the 2022 PBA Philippine Cup finals after beating San Miguel Beer, 86-84, on Sunday, August 21, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Quezon City.
RR Pogoy scored 26 points and Mikey Williams added 21 points for the Tropang Giga to take the lead in the best-of-seven series.
After trailing behind by 15 points, 45-30, a basket by Williams sparked a 13-point run that allowed TNT to take the lead, 54-53, in the third quarter.
The Tropang Giga seized a 10-point advantage, 79-69, in the final period but a three-point play by Vic Manuel allowed the Beermen to tie the score, 84-all, with at least 53 seconds left in the clock.
With the clock ticking down, Jayson Castro managed to bury the dagger that secured the victory for the defending champions.
Six-time PBA Most Valuable Player June Mar Fajardo registered 24 points and 16 rebounds while CJ Perez finished with 21 points for San Miguel.
TNT will seek to grab a 2-0 lead when the team faces the Beermen on Game Two on Wednesday, August 24, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
