Magnolia earns twice-to-beat edge as TNT suffers setback in Grand Slam bid

18 hours ago 4

Upgrade to High-Speed Internet for only ₱1499/month!

Enjoy up to 100 Mbps fiber broadband, perfect for browsing, streaming, and gaming.

Visit Suniway.ph to learn

Magnolia earns twice-to-beat edge as TNT suffers setback in Grand Slam bid

TOUGH SHOT. Zavier Lucero in action for the Magnolia Hotshots in the 2025 PBA Philippine Cup.

PBA Images

Zavier Lucero shines on both ends, while veteran Rafi Reavis provides quality minutes as Magnolia becomes the second team to clinch a twice-to-beat bonus in the 2025 PBA Philippine Cup

MANILA, Philippines – Magnolia dealt TNT a major blow to its Grand Slam bid as the Hotshots denied the Tropang 5G a twice-to-beat advantage in the playoffs of the PBA Philippine Cup after an 88-83 win at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium on Friday, June 13.

Zavier Lucero produced all-around numbers, while veteran Rafi Reavis provided quality minutes off the bench to help Magnolia end the elimination round with an 8-3 record and become the second team to claim the win-once bonus in the quarterfinals.

Lucero turned in 24 points, 8 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals, and 1 block, knocking down key free throws late in the fourth quarter to keep TNT at bay.

The athletic forward sank two foul shots with 14 seconds remaining to give the Hotshots an 86-79 lead before Roger Pogoy pulled the Tropang 5G within a single possession by making a four-point shot.

But Lucero sealed the deal as he drained another pair of free throws.

The oldest active PBA player at 47 years old, Reavis delivered a splendid performance with 4 points and 6 rebounds in just 12 minutes of action, with most of his production coming in the decisive final period.

Reavis became just the 14th player in PBA history to record over 5,000 rebounds, according to league chief statistician Fidel Mangonon.

William Navarro played his best game in a Magnolia uniform after being traded by NorthPort as he put up 13 points and 4 rebounds, while Mark Barroca chimed in 11 points, 6 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals.

Ian Sangalang (9 points, 3 rebounds), Paul Lee (7 points, 7 assists), Aris Dionisio (7 points, 5 rebounds), and Rome dela Rosa (7 points, 5 rebounds) also made their presence felt for the Hotshots.

Due to the loss, TNT fell to 6-5 and will face a twice-to-win disadvantage in the playoffs, with another defeat effectively dashing its Grand Slam aspirations.

It will be an unfamiliar territory for this Tropang 5G crew as they finished in the top two in the eliminations of the first two conferences en route to the championship.

Roger Pogoy tallied 18 points, 7 assists, and 2 steals to pace TNT, Calvin Oftana netted 15 points, 8 rebounds, 4 assists, and 2 steals, while Poy Erram contributed 12 points, 8 rebounds, and 4 blocks.

Jordan Heading had 12 points and 6 rebounds for the Tropang 5G in another loss as he has yet to win with the team since his trade from Converge.