The main storyline of the 2024–25 PBA Philippine Cup Finals between the TNT Tropang 5G and the San Miguel Beermen—aside from the chase for the league’s most prestigious crown—essentially depends on which team you are rooting for. If you’re pulling for TNT, the biggest story is the Tropa’s Grand Slam chase. If it’s San Miguel you’re rocking with, the most important subplot is denying that Grand Slam.
San Miguel, incidentally, knows a thing or two about denying a Grand Slam, while TNT knows how it is to be denied history. The Tropa, then known as the Talk ‘N Text Tropang Texters, stood on the precipice of a Grand Slam back in 2010–2011, the 36th season of the PBA, after winning the Philippine Cup and Commissioner’s Cup. But San Miguel, who went by the name Petron Blaze Boosters, disconnected TNT’s direct line to history by beating them in seven grueling games.
The Texters that knocked on the doors of Grand Slam history were coached by none other than Chot Reyes, who will be looking to steer the Tropang 5G to that coveted Triple Crown after failing to do so 14 years ago. Kelly Williams and Jayson Castro, two key players from that close call, will try to help Reyes finish the job, with Williams looking to shore up TNT’s front court even after injuring his ankle in the semis, and Castro providing sage guidance on the bench as he recovers from injury.
Grand Slam Stopper Once, Grand Slam Stopper Twice
In yet another proof that the hoops gods can sometimes be crazy, the very franchise that kept TNT from joining the rarefied Grand Slam fraternity will be looking to do the same again 14 years later. And two members of that Petron coaching staff—Ato Agustin (a Grand Slam winner with San Miguel) and Biboy Ravanes—will try to help out current San Miguel head coach Leo Austria stop yet another TNT Grand Slam bid.
Of course, the San Miguel franchise would surely love to deny TNT entry to that exclusive Grand Slam club that to date only has four members: San Miguel, the Crispa Redmanizers, the Alaska Milkmen, and the San Mig Coffee Super Mixers.
The Beermen, for their part, also know how it feels to be denied a Grand Slam. In fact, they would’ve had three Trifectas already had they not been denied twice, both times by Barangay Ginebra San Miguel. So, beating Ginebra in a roundabout way was vindication for the Beermen, especially Austria, June Mar Fajardo, Marcio Lassiter, and Chris Ross, who all would’ve been Grand Slam winners if not for Ginebra.
The Time Cone and Magnolia Connection
All that leads us back to Cone and Magnolia, the last squad that actually won a Grand Slam. The Hotshots, then called San Mig Coffee Super Mixers and helmed by Cone, won the coveted Grand Slam in the PBA’s 39th season, or just three years after TNT nearly accomplished such rare feat.
Cone could’ve squashed all this Grand Slam talk if he figured out a way to beat TNT in two Finals showdowns earlier this season. Instead, he was outcoached both times by Reyes, his protege, and now the Grand Slam is the overriding theme of Season 49’s final finale. Then again, the Tropa’s Grand Slam pursuit should’ve ended in the quarterfinals if only Cone’s former team, Magnolia, not lose to TNT twice, each time by a solitary point.
Curiously, TNT escaped Magnolia no thanks to a last-second looseball foul committed by the ageless Rafi Reavis, who played for the Coffee Mixers in their Grand Slam year and is only one of two active PBA players with—you guessed it!—a Grand Slam to his name (the other being his San Mig teammate and equally ageless Mark Barroca). Now, Reavis just might have contributed to Castro, Williams, and the rest of the Tropang 5G potentially winning the Grand Slam in the next few days.
That is unless San Miguel can do something about it.
