PBA: TNT bags twice-to-beat advantage after defeating Magnolia

By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña

The TNT Tropang 5G will enter the PBA Philippine Cup playoffs with a twice-to-beat advantage after taking down the Magnolia Hotshots Chicken Timplados, 94-83, on Dec. 21, 2025, at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Fresh off back-to-back demolition exhibitions against the Blackwater Bossing and the NLEX Road Warriors, the Tropang 5G never lost a step, claiming the much-needed win to secure the ultimate goal in the upcoming playoff stage.

Concurrently, the team they defeated in the last game of the elimination phase will be the same foes they will battle in the quarterfinals, scheduled for Dec. 27, 2025.

Unlike their past wins, where they had to shrug off a shaky start, TNT this time made sure a wire-to-wire win would be in the bag as they dominated the Chicken Timplados from start to finish.

Calvin Oftana set the tone for the Tropang 5G after a waxing-hot start from downtown as he single-handedly answered every Magnolia offense in the first eight minutes of regulation.

However, Magnolia failed to keep up with TNT’s high-octane attack and received a much-needed offensive lift from Rey Nambatac, who took charge when Oftana took a breather on the bench.

The Chicken Timplados leaned on Zavier Lucero’s post dominance to inch closer in the second frame, but Jordan Heading answered with an offensive snowball after dropping 14 points in the quarter alone that put the Tropang 5G ahead for good.

Magnolia tried to tweak their defensive sets to check TNT’s three-point shooting, but head coach Chot Reyes quickly answered by filling the top of the key with a capable passing big man.

That’s how the Tropang 5G broke the 1-2-2 zone, as Reyes ordered Kelly Williams to receive a high-low pass and navigate his multiple options, which led to a series of efficient plays.

In the first set of reads, Williams attacked Lucero in the middle of the post, while the succeeding moves resulted in a Heading trey or an Oftana short-stab floater.

Heading was instrumental during the dub after dropping 23 points, six rebounds, two assists and a steal, while Oftana added 17 markers.

Williams, who acted more like a facilitator during TNT’s adjustment, finished the game with 11 points and five dimes, while RR Pogoy chipped in 10 markers, six assists and five boards.