The TNT Tropang Giga fended off a late charge by the Meralco Bolts, 108-99, to take the solo lead in Group A of the 2024 PBA Governors’ Cup on Thursday night, September 12, at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

The Tropang Giga got key defensive plays from Kelly Williams and Rondae Hollis-Jefferson in the clutch en route to their fourth straight win and a 6-1 win-loss record in their group.

For Meralco, it marked the end of their own four-game winning run. They dropped to 5-2, with both of their losses coming at the hands of TNT.

“We knew that they were going to come back. We had no pretensions, we had no illusions that it was going to be easy by any means. So we just reminded everyone in the timeout, ‘Okay, they’re making their run.’ Let’s focus and just get what we need to do,” TNT coach Chot Reyes said after the game.

Calvin Oftana earned Player of the Game honors after putting up 25 points on just 12 shots, along with seven rebounds and three assists.

Hollis-Jefferson just missed a double-double with 22 points and nine boards.

The Tropang Giga led by as much as 14 points and clung to the lead for most of the game, but the Bolts managed to cut the deficit to three points, 100-97, with less than three minutes to go off two free throws by Chris Newsome.

Momentum seemed to have swung to Meralco when Allen Durham soundly rejected a layup by Roger Pogoy, giving the Bolts another chance to cut into the deficit. But Chris Banchero, who struggled with his shot all game, misfired on a corner three-pointer and Williams answered with a layup for TNT for a 102-97 spread.

Jayson Castro then poached the ball from Durham for a transition layup and a seven-point lead, 104-97, with under two minutes to go and the TNT defense held firm the rest of the way.

“In the end, the players took it upon themselves to make the necessary stops,” Reyes said.

Durham had 26 points and 11 rebounds for Meralco, while Newsome added 23 points. But Banchero was limited to 10 points, making just four of his 16 field goals in the contest.

As a team, the Bolts shot just 44 percent to TNT’s 51.3 percent. (ABS-CBN News)

TNT 108 — Oftana 25, Hollis-Jefferson 22, Aurin 16, Castro 12, Erram 11, Pogoy 9, Williams 9, Nambatac 4, Heruela 0, Khobuntin 0.

MERALCO 99 — Durham 26, Newsome 23, Quinto 12, Cansino 12, Bancheor 10, Caram 8, Pasoal 4, Rios 4, Bates 0, Pascual 0, Mendoza 0, Jose 0.

Quarterscores: 32-20, 49-44, 78-67, 108-99.