ANTIPOLO City – TNT is back in familiar territory after finishing off Rain or Shine, 113-95, on Friday night in Game Five of their PBA Governors Cup semifinal playoff.
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, the same import who steered the franchise to the championship of this same conference last year, came through 36 points, 11 rebounds, nine assists, and six steals in another impressive all-around showing.
READ Ginebra on cusp of PBA Finals after Game Five romp over SMB
Thanks to a wicked defense that left ROS befuddled all series long, the Tropang Giga wrapped up the best-of-seven series, 4-1, and brought coach Chot Reyes back to the finals for the first time since returning to the TNT bench last season.
TNT now awaits the winner of the Barangay Ginebra-San Miguel semis series, which the Kings currently lead, 3-2, after a 121-92 romp earlier in the day.
The defending champion went on a 12-0 blast in the second quarter to to pull away to a 56-39 lead at the half.
In all, the Tropang Giga outscored the Elasto Painters, 28-14, in the second period.
"I think the story of the game was on that run, on that stretch. I think that wore them down," said Reyes of that telling run in the first half. "That mean’s you played great defense during that stretch.”
Roger Pogoy was a perfect 3-of-3 from beyond the arc to finish with 18 points, Kim Aurin went 4-of-5 from the same distance for 12 points, while Calvin Oftana added 10 and nine boards for TNT, which is in the finals for the first time since the 2023 Governors Cup.
But it will be the first championship appearance for Reyes since losing Game 7 of the Philippine Cup finals against San Miguel.
The Tropang Giga led by as many as 72-45, and shot 14-of-27 from long range for a fiery 51 percent accuracy.
Aaron Fuller topscored with 14 points for Rain or Shine, which improved its previous finish in the Philippine Cup semis where the team was swept by San Miguel in their best-of-seven semifinal series.
Adrian Nocum added 13 and the trio of Gian Mamuyac, Keith Datu, and Andrei Caracut had 11 each for the Elasto Painters.
The scores:
TNT (113) - Hollis-Jefferson 36, Pogoy 18, Aurin 12, Oftana 10, Williams 8, Khobuntin 8, Erram 8, Nambatac 8, Galinato 4, Varilla 0, Ebona 0, Heruela 0, Payawal 0.
Rain or Shine (95) - Fuller 14, Nocum 13, Datu 11, Mamuyac 11, Caracut 11, Santillan 10, Norwood 8, Belga 5, Ildefonso 5, Escandor 3, Clarito 2, Lemetti 2, Asistio 0, Villegas 0.
Quarterscores: 28-25; 56-39; 90-70; 113-95.
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