Reigning champions TNT Tropang 5G are back in a familiar must-win territory in the PBA 50 Commissioner’s Cup following a heartbreaking overtime loss to Barangay Ginebra on Friday.
The defeat pushes the Tropang 5G to the brink of elimination, trailing 3-2 in the series, with the Gin Kings now just one win away from securing the championship.
Despite the immense pressure, veteran guard Roger Pogoy expressed strong confidence that TNT can force a deciding Game 7, drawing inspiration from their franchise history.
“Galing din kami sa ganito dati, na 3-2 [deficit]. Pero basta trabauhin lang namin, walang imposible,” Pogoy told reporters following the match at the Araneta Coliseum. “Hindi pa nga [tapos]. Unang maka-apat naman eh, so may chance pa.”
Pogoy’s optimism stems from the previous season’s PBA 49 Commissioner’s Cup, where TNT overcame an identical 3-2 deficit against Ginebra to capture the title alongside import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson.
TNT’s current reinforcement, Chris McCullough, echoed the same resilient mindset, urging the squad not to dwell on the painful late-game collapse.
“Just get prepared for the next game, that’s really it,” McCullough said. “It’s still a series. It’s still not over. We still got a game on Sunday. So we go back to practice tomorrow, recuperate, and see what works.”
McCullough owned up to his crucial missed free throws in the dying seconds of overtime, which hampered TNT’s final push to erase Ginebra’s 98-95 lead. However, he remained forward-looking.
“It happens. That’s basketball. Missed free throws. On to the next game,” he added.
TNT aims to keep its title retention hopes alive and force a winner-take-all match as they clash with Barangay Ginebra for Game 6 this Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena.