Tropang 5G Upset Top-Seeded Road Warriors to Reach Semifinals

Defending champion TNT pulled off a stunning upset on Saturday night, eliminating top-seeded NLEX 118-112 in a do-or-die quarterfinal clash of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Season 50 Commissioner’s Cup at the Ynares Center.

The eighth-seeded Tropang 5G completed a remarkable turnaround, overcoming a twice-to-win disadvantage and becoming the first team since 2019 to oust a top seed under such circumstances. It was also only the fifth time in league history that the No. 1 team after the eliminations was eliminated in the quarterfinals.

TNT controlled the game from the start, carrying a 64-54 halftime lead and exploding for 37 points in the third quarter to extend their advantage to 101-84 heading into the final frame. NLEX tried to rally behind a dominant performance from import Cady Lalanne, but the deficit proved insurmountable.

“We finally got the lineup we wanted on the floor,” said TNT head coach Chot Reyes, noting the team’s improved health and chemistry late in the conference.

Import Bol Bol led the charge with 35 points and 13 rebounds, while the local core also shone—Roger Pogoy added 21 points and six rebounds, Calvin Oftana contributed 20 points and seven boards, and veteran playmaker Jayson Castro tallied 14 points and eight assists.

Reyes highlighted Pogoy’s return to the starting lineup as pivotal to TNT’s resurgence.

“This is the first time in this conference that Roger started a game,” he said. “He came off an injury, and we managed his minutes early on.”

The return of Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser, who added eight points after missing time due to injury, was another key factor in TNT’s turnaround.

“When we managed to bring everybody in, that’s big in our turnaround,” Reyes added.

TNT now advances to a best-of-seven semifinal series against the Meralco Bolts, which begins Wednesday, May 20, at the Ynares Center.

For NLEX, Cady Lalanne delivered a monster game with 46 points and 15 rebounds, but it wasn’t enough. Deschon Winston added 24 points and five rebounds, yet the Road Warriors struggled to find consistent support elsewhere. Star guard Robert Bolick was held to 16 points and six assists on just nine shot attempts after fouling out in the previous matchup.

The defeat extended NLEX’s quarterfinal frustrations, as the franchise has now failed to advance in three of its last four playoff appearances despite holding a twice-to-beat advantage.