MANILA, Philippines – In the PBA Commissioner’s Cup on Friday at the Ynares Center in Antipolo, TNT will strive to regain lost ground against a Phoenix team that is aiming to maximize its limited qualifying chances.

The Tropang Giga want to improve their record to 7-3 overall after shocking the previously winless Terrafirma 108-117 last Wednesday.

Coach Chot Reyes and his men should even have a chance at a top two finish and a win-once advantage over a lower-ranked club in the quarterfinals if they win their remaining games against San Miguel Beer on Sunday and Rain or Shine at the eliminations’ finale on January 31.

Phoenix, on the other hand, is probably out of the running for the quarterfinals after suffering three straight defeats to slump to 3-8. The Fuel Masters may only expect to tie for the eighth and final quarterfinal slot, even if it wins.

In order for the top two teams to advance, the tournament format requires several ties for the final QF place to be broken by the PBA quotient first. NLEX and Magnolia are at 4-6, as is San Miguel Beer, which will play Converge, a certain quarterfinalist, later Friday.

The Fuel Masters and Bossing, who are both at 3-8, might both catch up if the Beermen, Road Warriors, and Hotshots are unable to earn five victories.

However, given that Phoenix would be carrying a lower quotient into the possible ties and have also experienced defeats at the hands of the other relevant teams, their 92-100 setback to Blackwater last Tuesday might prove to be a very costly one for the Fuel Masters.

While reducing TNT’s chances of scoring an own goal, Phoenix is undoubtedly looking for something extra to build on before the season-ending Philippine Cup, which begins in early April.

In an effort to improve their standing in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup and prevent a recurrence of their past defeat, TNT Tropang Giga is preparing for a rematch versus Terrafirma. TNT is anticipated to enter the game with increased focus and preparedness after having already felt the pain of losing to a team like Terrafirma, which makes the Dyip’s work even more difficult.

Although the defeat against Terrafirma put a stop to TNT’s remarkable six-game winning streak, it also highlighted the Tropa’s tenacity. TNT demonstrated their potential to create a significant comeback in that game by outscoring the Dyip 38–18 in the fourth quarter. In the last quarter, they grabbed five vital offensive rebounds and shot an effective 14-of-22 from the field, demonstrating their ability to dominate when playing at their best.

TNT’s charge will probably be led by Rondae Hollis-Jefferson once more. The dynamic forward scored a game-high 41 points in the last match, putting on an outstanding effort. To win, though, TNT will require more reliable efforts from important players like Calvin Oftana and Roger Pogoy.

Pogoy had trouble finding his flow early in the game but scored all nine of his points against Terrafirma in the fourth quarter. His scoring prowess is demonstrated by his late burst, but TNT will need him to play better all game long. In a similar vein, Oftana scored 17 points to start the game but only managed one point in the second half. To help Hollis-Jefferson and make sure TNT keeps control of the game, these two players’ performances need to be more evenly distributed.

To steer clear of the same mistakes they made in their first encounter with Terrafirma, TNT’s coaching staff will probably place a strong emphasis on better defense and reliable play. Encouraged by their unexpected victory, the Dyip will surely try to duplicate their performance by building on their advantages and taking advantage of TNT’s shortcomings.

The stakes are high as the Tropa gets ready for this important rematch. A victory would boost their confidence going into the tournament’s later rounds while also reaffirming their dominance. Terrafirma has the ability to further upend the rankings and gain momentum by pulling off another significant upset.