Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Tiebreaker Times

Basketball

TNT praises Glenn Khobuntin for stepping up when it mattered most


Rey Nambatac may have won Finals MVP honors in the 2025 PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals, but his coronation and TNT’s second championship of the season might not have been possible without the heroics of one of its most unsung players: Glenn Khobuntin.

Entering Game 7 on Friday, the 6-foot-4 forward from Cagayan de Oro was averaging just 4.33 points and 1.67 rebounds, having gone scoreless in Games 4 and 5. His best outing prior to Game 7? A 10-point performance in Game 3 that helped TNT escape with an 87-85 win.

But despite his limited minutes, Khobuntin put in the work during practices.

“Napaka-hardworking na taong yan. Siya yung pinaka-una at pinaka-huling lumabas ng court,” shared Calvin Oftana.

When Roger Pogoy cramped up midway through the final quarter of the deciding game, and with Ginebra leading by five, Chot Reyes called Khobuntin’s number. It was the moment Khobuntin had been waiting for—and he didn’t waste a second.

“Proud ako kay Glenn din, nung nag-cramps ako. Talagang nag-step up si Glenn,” said Pogoy.

“Ganun talaga pag team.”

Khobuntin was tasked not only with providing offense in Pogoy’s absence but also with defending Scottie Thompson, one of the toughest challenges in the league. Right after entering the game, he followed a Calvin Oftana three-pointer with a booming triple of his own, giving TNT a 75-72 lead.

#ReadMore  Blackwater crushes Northport to bounce back in PBA PH Cup

Late in the game, he cleaned up an Oftana miss with a jumper, extending the lead to 77-74 with just under 50 seconds left.

Though Ginebra managed to send the game into overtime thanks to Justin Brownlee’s heroics, Khobuntin would not let the Gin Kings spoil what the Tropang Giga had worked for.

With 2:22 left in overtime, Khobuntin drilled a cold-blooded three-pointer that gave TNT an 85-79 lead—the shot that set the stage for an 87-83 victory and the Commissioner’s Cup title.

Khobuntin finished the game with 14 points, three rebounds, an assist, and a steal—crucial contributions to the Tropang Giga’s triumph.

“Ibang klase. Yung puso ng isang kampeon nandun sa kanya. Siya yung mga crucial at nalilibre and he is grabbing it. Nashu-shoot niya yung mga ganung bagay. Siyempre, hindi magagawa ni Glenn yun kung hindi dahil sa aming lahat, sa mga pasa at tiwala namin,” said Oftana, who ended the game with 10 points and six rebounds.

Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, who finished with 25 points and 12 rebounds, could not help but express his pride for Khobuntin and the entire team after surviving the tough battle against Ginebra.2024-25-PBA-Commissioners-Cup-Finals-G7-TNT-vs-Ginebra-Rondae-Hollis-Jefferson-on-Glenn-Khobuntin TNT praises Glenn Khobuntin for stepping up when it mattered most Basketball News PBA  - philippine sports news

“I’m proud of these guys. To be punched the way we were punched with those tough games… We were kinda out of it. Our heads were somewhere else. We decided to eat together as a team. We just talked after we ate and formed a circle to talk about what we were feeling,” said Hollis-Jefferson.

“These guys, these men, I consider them as brothers. Our number one thing over every other team is our connectivity. We may not have the most talented players, but you see, we know how to enjoy the game and feed off one another.”

Written By


You May Also Like

Basketball

Calvin Oftana is suiting up for Gilas Pilipinas Men in the upcoming FIBA Asia Cup 2025. The 6-foot-5 TNT forward flew out with the...

Basketball

Calvin Oftana has become doubtful for the FIBA Asia Cup 2025. The TNT star could miss the August 5–17 showpiece in Jeddah due to...

Basketball

Leo Austria credited his time away from coaching after steering San Miguel back to the Promised Land by conquering the PBA Season 49 Philippine...

Basketball

Poy Erram is expected to miss a significant amount of time for TNT as he sustained an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury on his...

Basketball

June Mar Fajardo has no doubt that the PBA Press Corps Finals Most Valuable Player award landed in the hands of the most deserving....

Basketball

There remains one ultimate goal that June Mar Fajardo wishes to accomplish, even though he has already authored a Hall of Fame-worthy career. “Grand...

Basketball

Jericho Cruz’s first eight years in the PBA weren’t exactly what he envisioned. But everything changed when he joined San Miguel. Though a key...

Basketball

Jericho Cruz’s fourth PBA championship might just be his sweetest yet. The emotional 6-foot-1 guard, who has been in the league since 2014, was...

Advertisement