TNT looks to repeat over Magnolia as the Tropang 5G and the Hotshots collide anew, this time in the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup quarterfinals.
Jordan Heading and the TNT Tropang 5G look to make the most of their twice-to-beat advantage when they collide with the Magnolia Hotshots in the PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup quarterfinals on Saturday, Dec. 27.
Tip off is at 7:30 p.m. at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Seeded third, TNT needs just one victory to advance to the semifinals, and the Tropang 5G will draw confidence from their 94–83 win over Magnolia in their elimination-round finale just six days ago.
Heading was the catalyst in that matchup, erupting for 23 points, including 14 in the third period, to go with six rebounds, two assists, and a steal.
Calvin Oftana also chipped in 17 markers as TNT seized control early.
Despite the advantage, head coach Chot Reyes stressed that nothing comes easy against a deep Magnolia side.
“It takes our best to be able to even compete with a team as deep and talented as that Magnolia team,” Reyes said.
With momentum and incentive on their side, TNT will try to close the door quickly and avoid giving Magnolia a chance to extend the series.
(With reports from Jan Ballesteros)
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[Editor’s note: This article was written by a member of One Sports Digital with the help of AI and reviewed by editorial staff for accuracy.]