Despite injuries to key players, TNT is ready to lock horns with San Miguel in the PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup Finals.
TNT Tropang 5G find themselves four wins away from basketball immortality.
But as they open their PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup Finals showdown against San Miguel on Sunday, July 13 at 7:30 p.m. at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, head coach Chot Reyes insists they’re not looking that far ahead.
“Believe it or not, hindi ko talaga iniisip ang Grand Slam,” said Reyes, whose Tropang 5G are bidding to become just the sixth team in league history to sweep all three conferences in a single season.
“Even up to now, when I come to coach, I coach what’s in front of me.”
[RELATED STORY: Chot Reyes calls TNT’s 2011 Grand Slam miss ‘ancient history,’ eyes PBA Finals win on merit]
And in front of TNT is a familiar Finals nemesis in the San Miguel—a team it's beaten before, but also a team that has denied them glory in the past.
TNT’s road to the Finals has been anything but easy.
They started the conference with three straight losses, needed back-to-back wins against Magnolia to survive the quarterfinals, and endured a grueling six-game semis against Rain or Shine.
[ALSO READ: Will RR Pogoy suit up for TNT Tropang 5G in Game 1 of PBA Finals vs San Miguel Beermen?]
Injuries have dogged the team all season—Jayson Castro hasn’t played since the Commissioner’s Cup semifinals due to a knee injury, Rey Nambatac missed most of the All-Filipino conference, and RR Pogoy is still nursing a hamstring strain. Kelly Williams is also doubtful for the Finals after spraining his ankle in Game 4 of the semis.
But if there’s one thing TNT has proven, it’s the team's ability to adjust and overcome.
[ALSO READ: Kelly Williams remains doubtful for TNT in PBA Philippine Cup Finals vs San Miguel]
Calvin Oftana has emerged as a consistent go-to scorer, Jordan Heading has embraced the big-moment spotlight, Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser anchors the paint, and Poy Erram provides stability on both ends.
Reyes also continues to rely on a deep bench that’s shown it can step up when it matters.
Game 1 won’t just be the start of the Finals—it could also be the first step toward TNT rewriting history. But for Reyes and the Tropang 5G, it’s still just the next challenge in a season built on resilience.
[ALSO READ: Asa sa import? Chot Reyes ends debate once and for all ahead of TNT-San Miguel PBA Finals]
(With reports from Jan Ballesteros)
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[Editor's note: This article was written by a member of the One Sports Digital with the help of AI, and then checked by the staff to ensure accuracy.]