By Leobert Julian A. de la Peña
Dominance personified.
What a way to end a roller-coaster season. Despite being undermanned and clouded with controversies, the TNT Tropang Giga still managed to pull through, stunning the Barangay Ginebra San Miguel in Game 7 of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup grand finals to win the title, 87-83, on March 28, 2025, at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
It was what every PBA hoops fan dreamt of in a Game 7 thriller. Two franchises that didn’t give up and needed an extra overtime period to settle the score.
However, it was TNT who wanted it more.
After controlling the tempo for most of the regular period, the Tropang Giga finally found the light at the end of the tunnel after working extra hard in OT. What was the most impressive part during that run was how the locals stepped up when their super import, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, was evidently gassed out and was already suffering cramps in the fourth.
TNT was poised to blow Game 7 wide-open after establishing a 10-point lead, capitalizing on Ginebra’s cold shooting and tons of defensive miscues.
However, Ginebra’s never-say-die attitude fueled them for a come-from-behind rally in the second half, bolstered by Justin Brownlee’s waxing hot performance.
Ginebra erased their deficit and returned to the driver’s seat at the end of the third, but the Tropang Giga didn’t shy away from the challenge and responded like champions do.
Glenn Khobuntin was TNT’s unsung hero in the fourth as the defensive role player knocked down big shots in the clutch, but Brownlee refused Ginebra to fold after hitting a big trey that forced overtime.
In the extra period, TNT quickly stole the momentum in the first possession after Rey Nambatac caught Ginebra sleeping for an easy deuce underneath.
Ginebra struggled to run the triangle offense in the OT and was suffocated by TNT’s precise coverage in the elbows, where they would usually start their pick-and-roll motion.
In the 2:27 mark, the Tropang Giga just drained an early dagger, courtesy of Poy Erram’s assist to Khobuntin in the left corner that gave TNT a six-point lead, 85-79.
Ginebra failed to level TNT’s aggressiveness and would only add four more points to their tally in OT. Seconds after the Game 7 buzzer officially sounded, the SMC-backed corporation drew flashbacks of their lost wars against the Tropang Giga and ended another championship match without a win since Hollis-Jefferson became their import.
Hollis-Jefferson capped off another title-winning game with 25 big points and 12 rebounds and has already won his third PBA championship with the TNT franchise.
Nambatac, who remained consistent from the get-go, scattered 22 markers en route to a Most Valuable Player (MVP) trophy.
The leftie floor general stepped up when Jason Castro was ruled out in the finals series, proving that he can fill the shoes of a legendary player.
Meanwhile, Khobuntin, who erupted in the most perfect time for the Tropang Giga, ended Game 7 with 14 crucial points including 10 in the fourth and OT.
Congratulations, TNT!