It needed one more game and five extra minutes to settle, yet the result remained the same — TNT kept its mastery of Ginebra to complete its conquest of the PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup Finals, Friday night.
In front of 21,274 screaming fans that filled the SMART Araneta Coliseum to the rafters, the Tropang Giga came away with the thrilling 87-83 decision as the dust settled in the winner-take-all Game 7 that went into overtime.
This now marks the flagship MVP Group franchise’s second straight title this season following a successful defense in the Governors’ Cup last November, giving themselves a shot at a rare Grand Slam in the Philippine Cup.
“I guess it couldn’t be avoided at this point and I hope this is the last time you ask me about it. But I acknowledge that fact now: there’s going to be tremendous pressure on us,” said head coach Chot Reyes.
“There’s going to be a huge target on our back. Eleven other teams are going to do their darn best to stop us,” added the champion mentor.
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, battling through injury and cramps, still top-scored for TNT with 25 points and 12 rebounds on his way to winning his third league championship, making him the winningest import in franchise history.
Rey Nambatac delivered 22 points, two rebounds, and four assists, eventually earning his first-ever PBA Press Corps Finals Most Valuable Player award as he willingly stepped up in lieu of the injured Jayson Castro.
Glenn Khobuntin supplied 14 points off the bench to emerge as the unlikely hero in the conquest, while Calvin Oftana added 10 markers. The two nailed crucial shots down the stretch that ultimately helped the crew to escape.
Both wingers were key in the fightback from a 70-64 deficit early in the fourth quarter, nailing a three-pointer each in back-to-back fashion to give the Tropa the 75-72 lead with 4:07 remaining, thus resuscitating their hopes.
Still, Justin Brownlee forced overtime with a trey over Paul Varilla, but the Kings would never taste the lead as Nambatac quickly scored the first two points of OT — in eight seconds, to be exact — for the 81-79 lead.
Poy Erram then split his free throws before Khobuntin nailed a big blow when he knocked down a triple for the 85-79 lead with 2:23 remaining.
Ginebra found some glimmer of hope behind Japeth Aguilar and Jamie Malonzo, 85-83, but Oftana nailed the dagger as he took advantage of their foes’ defensive lapse and rose for an easy layup with 6.3 seconds left.
Brownlee, in a desperate measure, attempted a four from the top in a bid to tie the game but missed, and TNT erupted in jubilation as the confetti rained inside the Big Dome, signaling a new era in the conference.
“My appreciation goes to our players, who really found a way. Talagang ayaw magpatalo and this is the result,” said Reyes, who’s won title no. 11.
The Tropang Giga have now won 11 championships overall after winning their first Commissioner’s Cup crown since 2011 — where they, coincidentally, beat Ginebra as well, which was then being mentored by Jong Uichico.
It was in that same season where they won the first two titles, the other being the Philippine Cup, only for the 3-for-3 bid to get foiled by Petron.
Now they have an opportunity to accomplish as much this year, but Reyes refuses to guarantee anything, except that his charges will be out to put in the work — and refuse to quit just like what they’ve shown in Game 7.
“As you can see, we don’t really have the best talent, we don’t have the deepest bench, but there’s something in our players, they just refuse to quit. That’s what we’re going to bring into this next conference,” he said.
Brownlee, on the other hand, had 28 points and 10 rebounds against seven rebounds for the Barangay, who once again fell to TNT in the Finals this season, and the third time counting the 2023 Governors’ Cup Finals.
Aguilar had 15 points and 11 rebounds. Scottie Thompson made 13 points, nine rebounds, and eight assists while Stephen Holt added 12 in the loss.
The Kings haven’t won a title since the 2022-23 edition of the mid-season conference, where they beat Bay Area in a series that went into Game 7 as well.
The Scores:
TNT 87- Hollis-Jefferson 25, Nambatac 22, Khobuntin 14, Oftana 10, Pogoy 9, Erram 5, Williams 2, Aurin 0, Heruela 0.
Ginebra 83- Brownlee 28, Thompson 13, J.Aguilar 15, Holt 12, Abarrientos 8, Ahanmisi 3, Rosario 2, Malonzo 2.
Quarterscores: 22-16, 40-35, 60-62, 79-79, 87-83 (OT).
