MANILA, Philippines – On Sunday, TNT achieved a convincing 115-97 victory over San Miguel Beer in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup at the Ynares Sports Center in Antipolo. This win strengthened TNT’s chances of finishing in the Top Two, but it also brought San Miguel Beer to the edge of elimination.

The Tropang Giga transformed to a one-sided contest what was expected to be a massive war, flying to a 17-point advantage at the half and leading by as many as 20 before completing the win that catapulted TNT to solo second position at 8-3 behind frontrunner NorthPort at 9-3.

However, dormant Meralco is just behind TNT at 7-3, with Converge at 8-4 and Barangay Ginebra at 7-4, making the race for the Top Two and the twice-to-beat incentive in the quarterfinals a wild and wooly battle.

TNT’s ability to recover from its 0-2 start in the tournament and put itself in a position to compete for a Top Two finish was a major accomplishment.

Chot Reyes, the coach of TNT, stressed the need to concentrate on what can be controlled. He also pointed out the importance of getting the team ready to stay competitive even when things are uncertain. He emphasized that the most important thing is to make sure that the team is always in a position to succeed, no matter what problems they face. Reyes was confident that his players would be able to rise to the occasion. He stressed the importance of keeping a positive attitude and making the most of every opportunity to perform at their best.

On January 31, at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig, they continued their hunt as they competed against the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in their last game of the eliminations.

San Miguel Beer suffered a major defeat, which resulted in the titleholder finishing with a 5-7 closing card.

The Beermen fell from eighth place to tenth place, while the NLEX Road Warriors (5-6) and the Magnolia Hotshots both moved up to a tie for eighth place.

If either NLEX or Magnolia wins their last elimination game, San Miguel will no longer be able to compete for a spot in the playoffs. It has been a long time since the Beermen did not qualify for the postseason, so this would be a momentous occasion. All three clubs are facing a lot of pressure. NLEX and Magnolia are trying to guarantee their positions, while San Miguel is holding on to the possibility of an unlikely outcome.

On the other side, TNT continues to do well thanks to the excellent performance of Rondae Hollis-Jefferson. He once again showed how brilliant he is by scoring 35 points, grabbing 21 rebounds, and dishing out 10 assists for an incredible triple-double. He also contributed three steals and one block while only committing two turnovers, thus establishing his position as a key player for the Tropang Giga.

RR Pogoy provided critical firepower by contributing 22 points, including four three-pointers, in support of Hollis-Jefferson’s efforts. Calvin Oftana also scored 16 points, matching Pogoy’s total with four three-pointers of his own. At the same time, Jayson Castro and Poy Erram both contributed 14 points, demonstrating the team’s depth and balanced offensive attack.

TNT’s impressive performance demonstrates that they are prepared for the playoffs, as they continue to create momentum with a well-rounded and unified effort. Rondae Hollis-Jefferson led the team with a triple-double, while RR Pogoy scored 22 points, Calvin Oftana scored 16 points, and Jayson Castro and Poy Erram made important contributions.

On the other hand, San Miguel had a difficult time, even though June Mar Fajardo put forth an outstanding performance, scoring 34 points and grabbing 13 rebounds. Although he showed his leadership, the squad did not have the backing they needed to compete with TNT’s firepower and depth, which placed their chances of making the playoffs at risk.

Scores at the end of the match

TNT with 115 points for the win

Individual scores: Hollis-Jefferson 35, Pogoy 22, Oftana 16, Castro 14, Erram 14, Nambatac 6, Williams 6, Galinato 2, Heruela 0, Khobuntin 0, Razon 0, Exciminiano 0.

SAN MIGUEL with 97 points

Individual scores: Fajardo 34, Trollano 13, Pope 10, Tautuaa 10, Lassiter 9, Perez 9, Cruz 6, Ross 3, Tiongson 3, Cahilig 0, Rosales 0.

Scores per quarter
31-19, 56-49, 87-70, 115-97