It’s tough to win just one PBA championship, more so a Grand Slam.
But right now, the TNT Tropang 5G are on the cusp of that historic triple crown, a rare achievement that only five teams in the PBA pulled off — Crispa (twice), San Miguel, Alaska, and the San Mig Coffee Mixers.
The Season 49 Tropang 5G are the latest to try and complete a Grand Slam, joining recent attempts by the 2017 and 2019 Beermen teams.
It’s also TNT’s second attempt at a triple crown, following the flagship MVP franchise’s initial try in 2011.
But much like two iterations of the famed SMB “Death 5” and the great Tropang Texters found out, it’s the third title that truly counts in a Grand Slam. It’s also the hardest one.
Winning a Grand Slam is a complicated process, and TNT is finding that out once again 14 years later.
In the PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup, the Tropang 5G have lost their Finals MVPs in Jayson Castro and Rey Nambatac to injuries, this is on top of obviously now playing without super import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson.
Not counting the obvious durability aspect of it all, just how tough is it really to clinch a treble in the PBA? To find out why, One Sports reached out to the remnants of the last team to actually do so.
Sandwiched between TNT and San Miguel’s attempts, the 2014 San Mig Coffee Mixers actually won a PBA Grand Slam, doing so by not only winning three straight titles, but four consecutive championships in a commanding display of excellence that started in the 2013 Governors’ Cup.
As hardworking and resolute as Marc Pingris is, San Mig Coffee’s Grand Slam conquest was a challenge unlike any other.
“Super hirap, dahil makapasok ka lang ng Finals mahirap na eh,” said the man dubbed the “Pinoy Sakuragi” for his boundless energy and sheer strength.
“Yun pa kayang mag champion ka ng apat na beses.”
No two PBA titles are the same, that’s why it’s crucial for any prospective Grand Slam team to stay on the same page, especially in practice.
“Para sa amin lahat ginawa namin yun, mga part ng trabaho namin bilang isang player, ambag-ambag kami lahat, nag trabaho kami lahat,” said Pingris, part of San Mig Coffee’s core Big 3 with former two-time PBA MVP James Yap and PJ Simon.
“Kaya nag bunga yung kahirapan na ginawa namin [dahil sa] araw-araw na practice. Diyan talaga nagsisimula lahat sa practice, at pakikisama bawa’t player,” he added.
Speaking of practice, Mark Barroca shared something former coach Tim Cone did to help mitigate the fatigue factor.
The toll of playing in the postseason each and every conference is brutal, and coach Tim is a master of managing his players being the winner of 25 PBA titles, including two Grand Slams.
“Pahinga namin tatlong araw lang eh. Kasi may laro na [the following conference]. Ginawa ni coach Tim naman samin, pagbalik namin sa practice, nakaupo lang kami sa gilid,” said Barroca of the simple, yet quite effective way of recovering.
“Nag-ice kami, stretching. Ganun lang. One week yun. Mga kasama sa rotation, pahinga talaga. Yun adjustment talaga.”
Veteran Rafi Reavis offered a different perspective.
For the now 47-year-old and winner of 11 titles, it was equally important to always keep their guard up, knowing the target on their backs grew larger with every win.
“When you're that successful, you have a big target on your back. You know, everybody's gunning for that top spot,” Reavis said.
“So, it's really hard to stay king of the hill, you know. I'm not saying it's not impossible, but each time you win, it gets harder and harder.”
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What did the Coffee Mixers do to stay sharp and hungry after winning one conference after another?
“Pag mag c-champion kami di namin nilalagay sa utak namin na madali na ang lahat at di namin nilalagay sa utak namin na okay na, naka-champion naman na kami,” said Pingris.
“Lagi namin iniisip na laro lang at wag lumaki ulo namin, yun ang lagi [din] sinasabi ni coach sa amin hanggang makuha namin yung gusto namin.”
Reavis shared a similar sentiment, saying the Coffee Mixers focused more on improving.
“We just wanted to, you know, keep that same attention to detail. We wanted to try to grow and sharpen those areas where we felt we were weak. You know, try to just get better in areas where we felt we could get better at,” said Reavis.
“And I think that really helped us and everybody bought in. That's what it takes. Everybody from the ball boys to the coaching staff, management, everybody has to buy in and understand, you know, how difficult the road is.”
As winners of the Governors’ Cup and Commissioner’s Cup, TNT now aims to overwrite San Mig Coffee's 2014 treble.
And while it’s a taxing pursuit with injuries to their key stars, the Tropang 5G certainly have what it takes after an All-Filipino reload to strengthen their depth.
However, don’t expect Barroca, Reavis, and the rest of the Magnolia Hotshots to make it comfortable.
In an ironic twist of fate, TNT drew Magnolia in the quarterfinals of the Philippine Cup playoffs and the few remaining members of the PBA’s last Grand Slam team are eager to give the Tropang 5G the same treatment they got from challengers back then.
“Mahirap talaga mag Grand Slam. Yung Talk ’N Text naman, deserving naman. Kita mo wala si Jayson, walang import, pero makikita mo intact sila. Solid pa rin,” said Barroca.
“That's one of our goals right now, to stop them from getting on the top of that hill again. But it's very tough,” added Reavis.