The TNT Tropang 5G dismantled the Magnolia Hotshots yet again, winning 98-87 on Saturday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium to sweep their PBA Governors’ Cup quarterfinals series, three games to nil. With the series sweep, the Tropa is now through to its sixth straight semis appearance dating back to 2024.
What Happened?
TNT, led by Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Rey Nambatac, and Magnolia, spearheaded by KJ Buffen, went point for point in the opening frame, with the Tropa eventually winning, 23-21. TNT then took control in the second, outscoring the Hotshots, 27-20, as that unforgiving defense tightened up even more.
Already up 50-41 at halftime, TNT went for the kill in the third, tightening the screws on defense even more to limit Magnolia to 15 points. Hollis-Jefferson’s 11 points, meanwhile, sparked a 29-point third-quarter surge that helped the Tropang 5G build a commanding 79-56 lead entering the fourth. TNT continued to assert its mastery over Magnolia early in the fourth and was still ahead, 89-70, past the six-minute mark of the final frame. Only a late 17-11 windup made the score closer in what was another commanding performance from the Tropa.
Who Stood Out?
Hollis-Jefferson finished Magnolia off with another electric performance, finishing with a game-high 38 points to go along with 9 rebounds, 3 assists, and 1 steal. He was also an efficient 16-for-29 from the field. Nambatac, meanwhile, sparked TNT with a 13-point, 5-rebound, 5-assist effort off the bench.
Buffen, on the other hand, tried to carry the fight for Magnolia with 31 points and 5 boards, while Ian Sangalang did his best with 12 points and 7 rebounds. No other Hotshot got to double digits.
3 Keys to the Game
- Rondae Hollis-Jefferson. As in Games 1 and 2, RHJ proved unstoppable in Game 3. His strong first quarter helped TNT fight off Magnolia, and his electric third canto sparked the breakaway. Put simply, the Hotshots had no answer for him all series long.
- Defense. Once again, the TNT defense proved impenetrable. The Tropa swarmed the Hotshots for much of Game 3 and held the latter to 35 points in the middle two quarters to build that sizable lead. Overall, TNT’s defense limited Magnolia to 39.7% shooting, the third time it has held the Hotshots to sub-40% shooting in this three-game domination.
- Turnovers. That TNT defense forced Magnolia into 14 turnovers even as the Tropa committed just 9 errors themselves. Importantly, the Tropang 5G scored 23 points off those turnovers, while the Hotshots had just 9 off TNT’s miscues.
Next Up for the PBA: Quarterfinals
Tuesday, November 3, 2026 | City of Dasmariñas Arena
Converge FiberXers vs. Rain or Shine Elasto Painters (5:15 p.m.)
Barangay Ginebra San Miguel vs. San Miguel Beermen (7:30 p.m.)
