A Sharp Decline After Back-to-Back Titles
Barely a month after celebrating back-to-back championships in the PBA Governors’ Cup and Commissioner’s Cup, TNT Tropang Giga finds itself in unfamiliar territory. The team is off to a disastrous 0-3 start in the season-ending Philippine Cup, raising serious concerns about their chances of completing a coveted Grand Slam.
Coach Chot Reyes, clearly frustrated by the team’s lackluster performance, admitted that even he is struggling to understand what’s gone wrong. “I don’t know how we can compete against San Miguel on Sunday playing this way,” Reyes said following their third consecutive defeat, this time at the hands of the Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters.
A Team Out of Sync
TNT’s losing streak includes setbacks against NLEX, Converge, and Phoenix. Despite having a solid core of players like Calvin Oftana, RR Pogoy, Rey Nambatac, Poy Erram, and veteran Kelly Williams, the team has looked disconnected and out of rhythm. Reyes did not hold back in his post-game comments, pointing to a lack of chemistry and selfish play as the root of their problems.
“We’re not just playing together,” Reyes lamented. “There’s no connectedness, there’s absolutely no chemistry inside. Players are playing selfish basketball.”
A key missing piece in TNT’s lineup is import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, whose energy and two-way impact were instrumental in their previous championships. His absence is clearly being felt, but Reyes insists that the lack of cohesion runs deeper than just missing one player.
Looming Showdown with San Miguel
The road doesn’t get any easier for the Tropang Giga. Up next is a daunting matchup against the powerhouse San Miguel Beermen, led by the dominant June Mar Fajardo. The Beermen are coming off an impressive 104-93 win over Barangay Ginebra, a solid response after narrowly falling to the Magnolia Hotshots in their previous outing.
San Miguel currently holds a 3-1 record and would have been unbeaten if not for that minor slip-up against Magnolia. Prior to that, they cruised past NLEX (98-89) and Meralco (110-98), proving they remain a formidable force in the league.
Under the guidance of coach Leo Austria, the Beermen continue to show depth and resilience. With Fajardo anchoring the paint and a balanced supporting cast, San Miguel looks poised to contend for another title—and perhaps extinguish TNT’s dwindling Grand Slam dream in the process.
A Turning Point or the Beginning of the End?
TNT’s matchup against San Miguel could serve as a turning point. Either the Tropang Giga rediscover their championship form and mount a comeback, or they risk spiraling further down the standings. The pressure is now on Reyes and his crew to recalibrate quickly and recapture the chemistry that made them the league’s top team just weeks ago.
Whether they can bounce back remains to be seen, but one thing is clear: TNT is teetering on the edge, and the time for answers is now.