TNT VERSUS SAN MIGUEL | REVENGE OR REPEAT?

FROM ONE SPORTS

Back in the 2010-11 season, the Talk N Text Tropang Texters were just one win away from completing a historic grand slam. But standing in their way were the Petron Blaze Boosters.

At the time, the top teams dealt with import handicaps. Talk N Text rotated between 6'2 guards Scottie Reynolds and Maurice Baker, while Petron tried out Mike Taylor and Jeremy Wise before settling on Anthony Grundy.

And who could forget the late Petron import? Not only did he lead the Blaze Boosters to their 19th championship, but he also went viral after Mark Yee checked his behind during a game.

Petron won that title over Talk N Text, and now as the San Miguel Beermen, they once again have the chance to spoil another grand slam bid.

From that 2011 Petron team, only assistant coaches Ato Agustin and Biboy Ravanes remain with the team. That was Agustin’s lone title as a head coach before Leo Austria took over and ushered in a golden age for the Beermen, reminiscent of the early 2000s when Jong Uichico called the shots.

None of the Petron players from that championship run are active in the PBA today. Alex Cabagnot and Finals MVP Arwind Santos were the last men standing from that squad. On the other side, Chot Reyes has returned as TNT’s coach with Bong Ravena still on his staff. Ranidel De Ocampo is now an assistant coach. The TNT veterans from that almost-grand slam run—Kelly Williams, Jayson Castro, and Ryan Reyes—are still around. Reyes has only played one game this season, Castro is out due to injury, while the 43-year-old K-Will continues to defy Father Time.

TNT’s current Philippine Cup run looks different. Injuries to Castro and Rey Nambatac forced them to retool mid-season. They started the conference with Calvin Oftana and RR Pogoy leading the charge, then brought in Jordan Heading and Mike Nieto from Converge along with the return of former top pick Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser. They are now in the finals without Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, and because of that, many critics dismissed their chances, believing they only thrived with the former NBA player in tow.

Meanwhile, San Miguel struggled in the import-laden conferences. Eji Anosike stood out, but the Beermen mostly floundered with average to underwhelming imports. In fact, the 2025 PBA Commissioner's Cup marked the first time San Miguel failed to reach the quarterfinals since 2015. The only bright spot was June Mar Fajardo, whose numbers looked like those of an import.

And now, here we are again. Is June Mar about to lock up his ninth MVP? TNT enters the finals with a near-revamped roster, while San Miguel boasts their ever-dominant Kraken. In their Game 7 win over Ginebra, June Mar nearly posted a 20-20 game, missing the rebound mark by just one. Outside of Japeth Aguilar and Scottie Thompson, only Calvin Oftana seems like a remote threat to challenge his MVP bid.

Hamstring injury or not, TNT will need to find a way to stop perhaps the greatest player in PBA history. But TNT isn’t here to chase individual awards. They’re chasing a grand slam against the same franchise that denied them one before. We remember how great Jimmy Alapag, Larry Fonacier, Jared Dillinger, Harvey Carey, and Ali Peek were. But had they completed the grand slam, they would be viewed with even more reverence. I still remember the talk that Alapag’s MVP award would have meant more if he hit one of his trademark clutch shots in that series. And while Castro may be the most accomplished player never to win an MVP, a grand slam could be his best counterpunch to June Mar’s historic haul.

There’s no shortage of storylines in this matchup. Simon Enciso suited up for both squads this season but chose TNT after getting benched repeatedly in San Miguel. Jordan Heading is out to prove he’s not just the future of the TNT backcourt but also a massive steal after Converge traded him away for Mikey Williams’ rights. For Juami Tiongson and Andreas Cahilig, this is a reward after leaving the sinking ship that was Terrafirma.

For Chot Reyes, this isn’t just another finals. He’s leading the MVP Group's fight against their longtime rivals, and this could be his redemption arc after a tough stint with Gilas Pilipinas. He had his share of "almost-wins" there, including a major one over China, but the backlash still lingers.

TNT already took down Ginebra in two recent finals matchups. They also forced Magnolia to re-evaluate their roster and strategy. Capping it off with a grand slam against San Miguel would be the perfect exclamation point.

But if San Miguel spoiled their party once, who’s to say they can’t do it again?

This series is going to be awesome.

Game over.