With bodies healed and lessons learned, TNT Tropang 5G believes the timing couldn’t be better for another crack at the throne.
After earning a crucial week of rest, the Tropang 5G brace for a familiar foe when they face defending champion San Miguel Beermen in a rematch of last season’s PBA Philippine Cup finals, beginning Wednesday at the Ynares Center.
Coach Chot Reyes said the extended break could be a game-changer for a TNT side determined not to relive the injury-ravaged collapse that haunted its title bid last year.
This time around, the Tropang 5G enter the series far healthier and deeper. Rey Nambatac is back after missing the previous Finals entirely, while Simon Enciso and Poy Erram—both casualties during last season’s series—are cleared to go. Add the presence of Jio Jalalon, and TNT believes it finally has the manpower to stand toe-to-toe with June Mar Fajardo and the Beermen.
“Obviously, in the last finals we didn’t have Rey Nambatac. Then we lost Enciso and Erram one after the other. Wala na rin kaming Jayson Castro nun,” Reyes recalled. “Hopefully, having Rey back, the addition of Jio, and a healthy Poy Erram makes a difference. We all know how strong that team is.”
That awareness fueled TNT’s urgency in the semifinals, where rest became a non-negotiable goal. The Tropang 5G refused to drag their series against Meralco, even pulling off a dramatic escape in Game 5—down five in the final 23 seconds—before Nambatac and Jordan Heading delivered the decisive blows in a 99–96 win to close the series, 4–1.
“We really wanted to finish the job early,” Reyes said. “Last time we reached the finals and lost, halos hindi na namin natapos yung series. Puro injured na yung mga players. That’s why rest and recovery are so important in a long series.”
That message was literally written on the board before their clinching win: Finish the job.
The only cloud hanging over TNT’s buildup is Roger Pogoy, who remains sidelined after re-injuring his hamstring in Game 4 of the semis. Reyes admitted it’s unlikely Pogoy will be ready for the Finals, but beyond that, the Tropang 5G are in good shape.
“Knock on wood, wala namang major injuries,” Reyes said. “Hopefully, we can go through this entire series fully healthy.”
Reyes shared his thoughts during an interview with former PBA commissioner Noli Eala on his weekly program Power and Play.
Now rested, reinforced, and wiser from experience, TNT steps into another Finals duel believing this time, the margins—and the moment—might finally tilt their way.