Game today:

(Ynares Center-Antipolo)

7:30 p.m. — San Miguel vs TNT

Taking the series opener wasn’t easy for TNT.

The Tropang 5G now brace for a much tougher time securing a second straight win against a rebound-seeking defending champion San Miguel Beer in Game 2 of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Season 50 Philippine Cup finals best-of-seven showdown today at the Ynares Center-Antipolo.     

TNT expects a different Beermen side to show up in the 7:30 p.m. clash — a far more aggressive and determined squad compared to the one it shocked on Wednesday night in Game 1 on the same venue.

The Tropang 5G, despite the continued absence of starting guard RR Pogoy due to a hamstring injury, drew first blood by beating San Miguel Beer, 96-91, in its own game.

TNT coach Chot Reyes’ men outscored San Miguel’s vaunted bench mob, 48-27, and outworked the Beermen on the boards, 55-42.

The Tropang 5G even kept San Miguel’s explosive wings from getting their numbers.

Reyes hopes his wards will be able to sustain the momentum they built and not allow the Beermen to pick up their bearings for an equalizer.

“They have the highest scoring bench in the league, but tonight our bench outscored theirs. And I think the two things for us were our bench play and our rebounding. They’re the number one rebounding team in the league and we outrebounded them. So hopefully we can sustain that,” Reyes said after the first game.

Reyes is also looking to address TNT’s flaw in Game 1 — giving away 25 turnover points off 19 errors.

TNT actually had a scary final minute.

San Miguel Beer rallied to trim a 19-point second quarter deficit to a solitary point, 92-91, after Jericho Cruz’s back-to-back baskets from two straight Tropang 5G turnovers with 21.4 seconds left.

Jordan Heading’s steady hands from the foul line saved TNT from collapse.

“We cannot survive on 19 turnovers. We’ve got to improve that for the next game,” Reyes said.

Although yielding the opener, San Miguel remains confident of its chances to retain the title it won in six games last year against the same rival.

“So, I think next time, we should have a better plan. This is a best-of-seven, so we have to adjust,” Beermen mentor Leo Austria said.

The 10-time champion coach has acknowledged the areas San Miguel needs to improve on to level the series.

“I think it’s very clear. The first quarter or the first half is the culprit because we didn’t play the way we played before,” Austria said.

“But credit to the game plan of Talk ‘N Text. They were able to contain our shooter. And if you notice, only our big men produced the numbers on offense. I think that’s (56) points from (Mo) Tautuaa, June Mar Fajardo and Rodney (Brondial). But our wings, especially our bench, didn’t perform,” he added.

Austria is banking on his backcourt pieces and shooters to rediscover their touch, especially Cruz and Don Trollano, who combined for only 12 points.

Veterans Chris Ross and Marcio Lassiter must also step up after a deafening silence in Game 1 with a combined 0-of-5 field goal shooting.