TNT is back in the PBA finals for the fourth straight time and this time, the Tropang 5G are barging into the championship round with enough weapon at their disposal.
Although the Tropang Giga continued to miss the services of ace point guard Jayson Castro and lost Roger Pogoy in the last two games due to a hamstring injury, the team was able to eke out a hard-earned series win over the Meralco Bolts in their PBA Philippine Cup best-of-seven semifinals series that ended after five games Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Capping that series-clinching win was Jordan Heading, who exploded for 31 points, including two big plays that complemented Rey Nambatac’s huge four-point shot.
Heading’s two crucial plays came a split second after Nambatac drilled in the go ahead four-point shot as the Fil-Australian guard completed a steal on CJ Cansino and touched off that heist with a short stab for the final tally.
It was a fitting way to get the better end of the match up with the explosive sophomore swingman from Meralco, who finished with a career-high 36 points, but saw his team’s campaign ending at the crucial seconds of the match as TNT came up with six straight points sandwiched by big defensive gems by Calvin Oftana and Heading, both coming at the expense of Cansino.
TNT’s return to the championship round for the fourth straight conference gave Heading an opportunity of finally winning one. Last conference, he and the rest of the Tropang 5G fell short of capturing the season-ending Philippine Cup won by the San Miguel Beermen. It also denied the PLDT-owned franchise a grand slam.
Heading likes the team’s chances better this time.
“That’s why we play this game,” Heading told Pinoystep.com in an exclusive interview. “I’m surely grateful and thankful of being given an opportunity to win a championship. We came up a little bit short last conference, but we got our rest and a little bit healthy again, and hopefully, it will be a little different next time. It’s not gonna be an easy road, but we’re going to see whatever we got.”
“I always believe my team and I see the work everyone puts in every single day and that’s what the first thing that stood out to me when I got to TNT — the amount of extra work from everyone — that if you put in the extra work, you’re gonna stay there. That’s the culture I wanted to be a part of and that’s the culture I believe in. Your confidence comes from your reps. We’re trusting that.”
The Tropang 5G have Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser now healthier than ever teaming up with Poy Erram and veteran Kelly Williams in manning the center spot while Nambatac assuming the bigger role at the guard spot to complement main man Calvin Oftana. TNT has also become more loaded with the addition of Heading late last season and is now getting more familiar with the team’s system in his second conference. The inclusion of a few more newcomers in veteran Jio Jalalon and the return of Henry Galinato providing more depth for the squad.
“I’ve been fortunate enough to have played in a lot of winning programs ever since high school to college to the professional leagues in Japan and Taiwan and I’m just thankful to be in another situation playing with guys doing whatever it takes to win. There’s nothing painful than giving everything you got and not getting a chance, but I’m thankful for everyone, from the rest of the staff, in putting our best foot forward,” added Heading.
