Before the game, TNT Tropang Giga head coach Chot Reyes had one message for his team: stay present, stay locked in. When the final buzzer sounded, his players had done exactly that.
“They showed a lot of heart down the stretch,” Reyes said, his voice filled with pride. “Even after that first-half struggle, they never wavered. They picked it up when it mattered most.”
That heart—and the heroics of Rondae Hollis-Jefferson—propelled TNT back to the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals after a thrilling 97-92 victory over the Rain or Shine Elastopainters in Game 5 of their semifinal series.
What started as a back-and-forth battle turned into a showcase of championship poise, as TNT erased a 13-point third-quarter deficit behind Hollis-Jefferson’s dominant performance. The former NBA standout dropped 42 points and 11 rebounds, including 17 points in the fourth quarter, ensuring that his team would not let this opportunity slip away.
With 6:40 left in the game, TNT trailed 77-78. Then, Hollis-Jefferson delivered the shot that changed everything—a smooth jumper that put his team back on top. From that moment on, TNT never looked back.
His relentless attack on both ends of the floor silenced any hopes of a Rain or Shine comeback. With 17 seconds remaining, he calmly sank two free throws, extending TNT’s lead to 95-86 and sealing the victory.
While Hollis-Jefferson carried the scoring load, Rey Nambatac and Calvin Oftana provided key contributions, chipping in 12 points each. Oftana’s clutch three-pointer with 39 seconds left further solidified TNT’s path to the finals.
With a 4-1 series win, TNT now turns its focus to the PBA Finals, where it will face the winner of the Barangay Ginebra vs. NorthPort Batang Pier series.