Tio’s Clutch Three Lifts Fuel Masters Over Tropang 5G in Overtime

Tyler Tio came through in the clutch as Phoenix survived a hard-fought overtime battle, edging TNT 100-97 on Friday night at the SMART Araneta Coliseum, keeping their playoff hopes alive in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Season 50 Commissioner's Cup.

With the game on the line, Tio calmly sank a decisive three-pointer with just 1.8 seconds left in overtime, lifting the Fuel Masters after a chaotic sequence that saw Ricci Rivero leave the game with a deep cut following a hard foul from Jayson Castro.

TNT scrambled in the final moments with no timeouts, as Roger Pogoy launched a desperate midcourt heave that fell short, allowing Phoenix to secure the upset over the defending conference champions.

The win helped Phoenix bounce back from a tough loss to Converge, improving to 6-4 and keeping their Top Four aspirations intact.

"We knew how important this game was for us, and we really played well," said Coach Charles Tiu. "We were up for the challenge, and I really appreciate the way the team executed. It feels great to pull off this upset."

Phoenix nearly saw their efforts unravel after Rivero, who had 31 points and 11 rebounds, exited due to injury. But the team held steady in the endgame, with multiple players stepping up in key moments.

New addition Johnathan Williams made an immediate impact in his return, tallying 22 points, 15 rebounds, six assists, and a steal in nearly 45 minutes despite shaking off some rust.

"I was kinda rusty today, but Ricci [Rivero], Tyler [Tio], Perk [Jason Perkins], Kenneth [Tuffin], and the rest of the guys came up with big shots and key stops, especially in the fourth quarter and overtime," Williams said.

Jason Perkins contributed 15 points and seven rebounds, while Tio finished with 14 points, including the game-winner. Kenneth Tuffin added a double-double with 11 points and 12 rebounds.

Late in regulation, after Rivero’s injury, Tio and Perkins were considered for free throws; Tio made one of two to give Phoenix a 97-95 lead before TNT forced overtime.

For TNT, Bol Bol dominated with 30 points and 20 rebounds, helping the Tropang 5G recover from an 87-81 deficit with seven minutes remaining. Calvin Oftana added 22 points and six rebounds, while Pogoy had 17 points and seven boards. Jayson Castro and Glenn Khobuntin contributed 11 points each in the loss.

"I was deciding between him and Perk for free throws when Ricci got hurt. He missed one, but thankfully he made up for it with the game-winner," Tiu said.

Despite the defeat, TNT remains 6-4 but dropped to sixth place. The Tropang 5G will close out their elimination round against Magnolia on May 5 and Barangay Ginebra on May 10. Phoenix has two remaining games—against Macau on May 6 and San Miguel Beer on May 9—as they aim to solidify their playoff positioning.