Chot Reyes: “We are going to be underdogs” as TNT enters PBA finals

The TNT Tropang Giga clinched a berth in the 2025 Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Philippine Cup Finals after edging the Meralco Bolts, 99–96, in Game 5 of their best-of-seven semifinal series at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Wednesday, January 14.

Jordan Heading powered the Tropang Giga with a game-high 31 points, while Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser and Calvin Oftana added 12 and 10 points, respectively, to secure the hard-fought victory. The win sends TNT to the finals for the fourth consecutive conference.

Despite their consistency on the big stage, head coach Chot Reyes emphasized that TNT will enter the championship round as underdogs regardless of whether they face San Miguel or Barangay Ginebra.

OKBET is Asia’s most trusted and popular online sports gaming platform. Visit us on OKBET to stay up to date with all sports news from around the world.

“It’s going to be a big shift in mindset, because to be very honest coming into this series, we were slightly favored to win. But going into the next series, whether it’s San Miguel or Barangay Ginebra, we are going to be underdogs, obviously, because they have the size,” Reyes said in the postgame press conference.

“We don’t have their size, their depth, their talent, and then the crowd support. But like Jordan said, that’s something we cannot control. Right now, our focus is going to be our rest and our recovery, and preparing as best we can while waiting for the result of the other series,” he added.

WINNING COMBO FOR TNT?

TNT Tropang 5G head coach Chot Reyes praised his team for not giving up despite being down five points late in the game.

Reyes also credited his coaching staff for their inputs, which led to the four-point shot by Rey Nambatac. | via @PaigeJavier pic.twitter.com/LsfDNYtBtp

— ABS-CBN News (@ABSCBNNews) January 14, 2026

TNT will have a brief respite before the finals begin, and Reyes is hoping the break gives Roger Pogoy enough time to recover from a left hamstring injury. Pogoy exited Game 4 clutching the hamstring and was sidelined for Game 5.

“Hopefully, but you know how this pulled hamstring is, you know, that’s very unpredictable. It really is going to depend on how quickly he can heal,” Reyes noted.

The veteran coach reiterated that TNT will not rush Pogoy back into action unless he is fully ready.

“One thing that’s sure is that we are not going to rush him back. We are not going to rush him back. And we are going to play him when he is ready. We are not going to force the na medyo 50% or 60% okay siya. So we are not going to risk that.

“It’s not only the healing of the muscle itself or whatever, but it’s also gaining back your strength on that leg. You have the ability to push off that, to put weight on it. So it’s not only the healing of the pulled muscle, the hamstring, but also the strengthening,” he concluded.

The PBA has yet to release the finals schedule, and TNT now awaits the outcome of the other semifinal clash between Barangay Ginebra and San Miguel—an intense series poised to go down to the wire.

👉 Don’t miss out on the latest sports news, updates, and fan discussions!

📌 Follow our Facebook page Sports News PH today and join the community of passionate sports fans.