TNT Tropang 5G is heading back to the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals, but inside the team’s locker room, there is little talk about defending a championship.
Instead, head coach Chot Reyes sees a group that continues to survive against the odds. Moments after TNT escaped Meralco, 97-94, in Game 6 of the semifinals on Sunday night, Reyes immediately shifted the conversation toward the challenge waiting ahead — a Barangay Ginebra team he believes resembles a national squad more than a typical PBA opponent.
“We’re coming in as huge underdogs,” said Reyes.
For a team that has reached five straight Finals appearances, the statement may sound surprising. But Reyes pointed to the sheer firepower standing on the other side of the bracket.
“We’re basically playing Gilas, and the (greatest of all time) of all imports in JB,” the veteran coach added.
The TNT mentor was referring to a Ginebra roster loaded with national team mainstays and veterans, including Scottie Thompson, Japeth Aguilar, RJ Abarrientos, Troy Rosario, and resident import Justin Brownlee, all playing under multi-titled coach Tim Cone.
The Finals matchup materialized only hours after both teams survived their respective semifinal battles at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.
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TNT’s Jordan Heading and coach Chot Reyes march back to the #PBAFinals. They take on rival Barangay Ginebra in a best-of-seven showdown. | @MeloFuertesINQ pic.twitter.com/DwIosoIIOl
— INQUIRER Sports (@inquirersports) May 31, 2026
Ginebra punched the first ticket to the championship round after eliminating Rain or Shine, 118-107, behind another vintage performance from Brownlee and a breakout scoring night from Abarrientos. Brownlee delivered 31 points, 15 rebounds, five assists, two steals, and one block, while Abarrientos erupted for 30 points, seven assists, and six rebounds as the Gin Kings closed out the series, 4-2.
The Tropang 5G followed a few hours later, although their path proved far more nerve-racking. TNT appeared headed for a comfortable finish after building a 91-77 advantage in the fourth quarter against Meralco.
But the Bolts refused to go away, trimming the deficit and eventually forcing a 94-94 deadlock after a furious rally. With the game hanging in the balance, Jordan Heading produced the biggest sequence of the night, converting a clutch three-point play with 42.1 seconds left to restore TNT’s lead for good.
Heading finished with 30 points on an efficient 9-of-13 shooting clip, helping TNT survive despite losing import Chris McCullough to fouls in the closing minutes. McCullough still contributed 22 points and 13 rebounds before fouling out, while Calvin Oftana added 12 markers. Meralco import Patrick Gardner paced the Bolts with 32 points and 13 rebounds in the losing effort.
What makes TNT’s Finals return even more remarkable is how different this team looks compared to the one that captured last conference’s title.
The Tropang 5G entered the playoffs as the No. 8 seed and needed to survive a dangerous twice-to-beat disadvantage against NLEX just to advance. Yet somehow, TNT keeps finding ways to win.
Last conference, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson led the charge as TNT defeated Ginebra in seven games to capture the Commissioner’s Cup crown. This time, the roster has changed, the road has been tougher, and the expectations outside the organization appear lower.
That may be exactly how Reyes wants it. Rather than dwelling on predictions, the veteran coach insists TNT’s focus remains on the process that carried them through adversity.
“We’ll just go through our process. The outcome, we have no control over that,” he said.
“The only control we have is with our process and effort, and if we stick to those, we give ourselves a chance.”
Now, another chapter will be added to one of the PBA’s most compelling rivalries.
Game 1 of the Commissioner’s Cup Finals between TNT and Barangay Ginebra is set on Wednesday at 7:30 p.m. at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, where the defending champions will once again attempt to prove that being underestimated can sometimes be their biggest advantage.
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