3 days ago
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John Bryan Ulanday - The Philippine Star
March 29, 2025 | 12:00am
The TNT Tropang Giga led by PBA chairman Ricky Vargas and their supporters rejoice after the Game 7 victory.
Russell Palma
MANILA, Philippines — It’s the world of the TNT Tropang Giga.
For the second straight conference, the Tropang Giga hoisted the crown at the expense of a similar opponent in the tamed Barangay Ginebra with a pulsating 87-83 Game 7 overtime victory in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup finals last night at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
More than 21,000 fans witnessed the Tropang Giga’s coronation anew, replicating their Governors’ Cup title conquest also against the Gin Kings to stay on track to a rare grand slam feat entering the Philippine Cup next month.
Calvin Oftana delivered the game-sealing lay-up from a broken play off a scramble in the last 6.3 seconds as Justin Brownlee missed the game-tying four-point shot before the buzzer, just minutes after his booming trey sent the game to overtime.
Up against a squad with a never-say-die spirit, it was TNT that displayed the said mantra by surviving Best Import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson’s struggle, who hobbled through the extra time with a leg injury, and completing a stunning comeback from a 2-3 series deficit.
TNT also won Game 6 with a similar score on the way to its 11th title as Chot Reyes secured the same number of his championships as well via one of the league’s greatest series decided by 6.2 points or less, including an OT in the seventh and final game.
“My appreciation goes to our players, who really found a way. Talagang ayaw magpatalo and this is the result,” said Reyes, who got the better of his pal and rival in 25-time PBA champion coach Tim Cone once again.
“Salamat sa Ginebra for teaching us how to play tough basketball. Salamat sa fans at sa players ng Talk ‘N Text. This is a special team and a special group,” added TNT governor and PBA chairman Ricky Vargas.
Oftana finished with only 10 points but his lefty lay-up over Japeth Aguilar iced it as Finals MVP Rey Nambatac (22) and Glenn Khobuntin (14), who sank a triple to push TNT to a comfortable 85-79 lead in the last two minutes of OT, formed a potent army of local support for the wounded Hollis-Jefferson.
Nambatac registered 17.85 points, 3.1 rebounds and 3.4 assists to follow suit to his mentor Jayson Castro, who bagged the Finals MVP award in the Governors’ Cup before going down with a knee injury in the semifinals this season.
Hollis-Jefferson, who went down hard after a clutch lay-up that gave TNT a 79-76 lead in the last 21 seconds of regulation, finished with 25 points and 12 rebounds laced by two assists, two steals and a block in almost 53 minutes of play.
Hollis-Jefferson made it three straight finals wins over Brownlee to glitter his three Best Import Awards with three championships.
