One ticket to the 2025 PBA Philippine Cup Finals has been punched -- and it's a squad that's in a familiar territory.
The TNT Tropang 5G put the finishing touches on their gritty semifinal performance, outlasting the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters with a hard-fought 97-89 win in Game 6. On the other side of the bracket, Barangay Ginebra refused to bow out and escaped with a heart-stopping 88-87 victory over the San Miguel Beermen to force a Game 7.
Ginebra's hustle paired with luck sends the series to a Game 7
It looked like San Miguel was ready to close the door on Ginebra and punch their ticket to the Philippine Cup Finals. June Mar Fajardo appeared more mobile than he had in recent outings, and the team's bench once again delivered. But Ginebra, true to its never-say-die identity, clawed back and pushed the series to the brink.
Fajardo imposed his will early and anchored San Miguel's offense in the first half. He controlled the offensive glass and operated efficiently in pick-and-roll situations, whether short-rolling into space or popping for midrange jumpers. His presence forced Japeth Aguilar into early foul trouble, which allowed Fajardo even more freedom to dominate the interior. He posted a strong first-quarter stat line: nine points, seven rebounds (five offensive), and two assists.
San Miguel's defense also fueled their offense. Their pressure forced stops that led to easy opportunities in transition, with Jericho Cruz and Don Trollano spearheading the attack. The second unit combined for 19 points and played with pace and poise. At that point, San Miguel looked like a team that had solved the Ginebra puzzle.
Ginebra, on the other hand, couldn't buy a bucket from beyond the arc. They shot just 3-of-17 from 3-point range in the first half and finished the game at a cold 23.5% on 34 attempts. Down by as many as 16, they had to scrap for every inch just to stay within striking distance.
Scottie Thompson was instrumental in keeping Ginebra afloat. He attacked the lane, created looks for teammates, and relentlessly crashed the glass. His final stat line of 17 points, 16 rebounds, eight assists, and zero turnovers underscored his all-around impact.
Troy Rosario also held the fort inside, stepping up with Aguilar in foul trouble. Rosario contributed 12 points and seven rebounds, while doing the little things to disrupt San Miguel's frontcourt. Although San Miguel had the edge in offensive boards (27-23), Ginebra made their second chances count. They converted 21 second-chance points -- compared to San Miguel's 15 -- and proved crucial in the tightly contested game.
As the game tightened, Ginebra head coach Tim Cone went deep into his bag and experimented with a three-guard lineup of Thompson, RJ Abarrientos, and veteran LA Tenorio. Their defense keyed the comeback, as Ginebra held San Miguel to just 33 points in the second half. But it was shot-making that ultimately turned the tide -- and it came from a familiar but unexpected source.
Tenorio, who had seen limited minutes throughout the conference and series, delivered when his number was called. The veteran hit big shots down the stretch and ultimately nailed the game-winning 3-pointer. He finished with 11 points, two rebounds, two assists, and one clutch reminder that he's still built for big moments.
For San Miguel, it was a frustrating missed opportunity, especially after Fajardo turned in his best performance of the series with 21 points, 16 rebounds, and five assists on 61.3% shooting. But the letdown came from CJ Perez, who finished with 15 points but struggled mightily with his efficiency, posting just a 30.4 TS%. Forced shots -- including a pair of ill-advised 4-point attempts -- and wild drives disrupted San Miguel's offensive rhythm and took the ball out of Fajardo's hands in key moments.
With the series now tied and San Miguel's heroball tendencies exposed, the question ahead of Game 7 becomes clear: Can they recalibrate and execute a more disciplined offensive approach to get the best shots possible? Or does Ginebra fully capture the momentum to get back to the finals?
TNT's mismatch hunting prevails
Both teams entered Game 6 with a clear understanding of the adjustments and counters each side would bring. TNT continued to rely on its bread and butter -- attacking mismatches off ball screen switches -- while Rain or Shine tried to adjust to TNT's pressure-heavy defense, particularly in their two-man actions. In the end, it came down to execution and consistency, and it was TNT who sustained their intensity to move one step closer to a historic Grand Slam.
Calvin Oftana, still visibly hampered by lingering ankle issues, struggled to assert himself. Credit to Gabe Norwood, who once again played strong on-ball defense, navigating pindowns and fighting through screens set up for him. It made a prerogative for TNT to find timely contributions from their role players, particularly the duo of Glenn Khobuntin and Kim Aurin, who were instrumental in Game 4 and showed up again in Game 6.
Aurin served as a valuable offensive weapon in the first half, especially against Rain or Shine's switching scheme. He attacked slower bigs off the bounce, contributed 13 points and five rebounds, and kept TNT within striking distance before the break. Khobuntin took over in the third quarter, doing all the little things: setting solid screens, finishing plays around the rim, and crashing the boards. He ended up with a workmanlike double-double of 16 points and 12 rebounds, embodying the grit that has defined TNT's playoff run.
The biggest difference, however, came from TNT's primary action involving Jordan Heading and Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser. Heading shouldered the scoring load with precision -- knocking down shots from the perimeter, attacking off the dribble, and consistently creating looks for others. He finished with 29 points, four assists, three rebounds, and two steals, commanding the floor throughout.
With Heading drawing out Rain or Shine's bigs, Ganuelas-Rosser punished switches by sealing smaller defenders in the paint and finishing strong inside. He tallied 17 points on an ultra-efficient 75.9 TS%, while also protecting the rim with three blocks.
For Rain or Shine, it marked their third straight semifinal loss to TNT, but the growth from this young group was evident. Adrian Nocum continues to emerge as a capable scorer, Andrei Caracut is proving to be a steady playmaker, and Gian Mamuyac and Jhonard Clarito have plenty of upside.
The standout of the night was Caelan Tiongson, who erupted for 30 points and showed flashes of star potential. The next step for this team is improving their halfcourt sets and tightening up late-game execution.
As for TNT, they are now just four wins away from completing three championships in the same number of conferences. The immediate focus will be recovery, as they await the winner of the San Miguel-Ginebra series in the finals. With key players still nursing injuries, this rest period could be pivotal in their pursuit of a Grand Slam.