TNT no longer allowed Rain or Shine to garner any more confidence by taking Game 4 of their PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup semifinal series through a 93-85 decision at the SMART Araneta Coliseum Wednesday night.
Kim Aurin struck the dagger triple from the corner to make it an 89-81 spread with 1:18 left to play, before Calvin Oftana put it away shortly after as the Tropang Giga bounced back after losing narrowly in Game 3 last Sunday.
But more than finding redemption, the flagship MVP Group franchise has now built a 3-1 lead in the best-of-7 series, giving itself a chance to finish off the Elasto Painters in Game 5 on Friday, March 5, 5:00 p.m., still at the Big Dome.
(C) PBA Images
“Our pregame was very simple. I just challenged the players to be better,” said head coach Chot Reyes. “We just told them, ‘Be better screeners, better passers, better defenders.’ Just make sure that you are better today.
“Then whatever happens, come what may, we’re fine with it. But we just wanted to make sure that we play better today, and put in better efforts. I think the players responded very well,” added the champion mentor.
Oftana top-scored for TNT with 26 points on a 57.1-percent clip from the field while Roger Pogoy dropped 22 as the running mates showed the way.
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson finished with 17 points, 11 rebounds, and five assists, together with a steal and a pair of blocks in 42 minutes.
Rey Nambatac added 12 points and six rebounds off the bench as the Tropa showed that they can win even while missing the presence of Jayson Castro, who’s out for a year to recover from a patellar tendon tear on his right knee.
“Malaking bagay din kasi na nawala si kuya Jayson, kaya itong remaining games namin, in-offer namin sa kaniya,” said Oftana.
“Big factor si Kuya Jayson sa amin. But yun nga, it’s not one person na mag-fill in sa shoes ni kuya Jayson, it should be us as a team,” he added.
(C) PBA Images
The Tropa put to naught the Herculean effort put up by Deon Thompson in lifting Rain or Shine as he finished with 44 points and 13 rebounds.
No other player of Coach Yeng Guiao managed to score in double figures as the locals struggled on offense, thus their 37.9-percent shooting as a whole.
The Scores:
TNT 93 – Oftana 26, Pogoy 22, Hollis-Jefferson 17, Nambatac 12, Aurin 9, Erram 4, Williams 3, Razon 0, Khobuntin 0.
Rain or Shine 85 – Thompson 44, Datu 8, Asistio 8, Caracut 6, Tiongson 6, Clarito 5, Nocum 4, Mamuyac 4, Norwood 0, Santillan 0.
Quarterscores: 26-21, 53-43, 73-67, 93-85.
#WATCH: “Be better.”
That was Chot Reyes’ challenge—and TNT answered in Game 4 of the #PBA2025 Commissioner’s Cup semis 🏀
📹 @justinebacnis /Tiebreaker Times pic.twitter.com/nXq0RZh0mo
— Tiebreaker Times (@tiebreakertimes) March 5, 2025
