PBA: TNT BRACES FOR COMING GAMES STILL WITH BANGED-UP ROSTER

MANILA, Philippines—Coach Chot Reyes was hardly in a celebratory mood despite a depleted TNT side winning its opening assignment in the PBA Governors’ Cup on Sunday.

TNT’s 106-103 victory over guest team Macau was more like a big sigh of relief for Reyes, knowing the Tropang 5G will have to continue to make do without several of their key cogs at least for the next three games.

“Calvin (Oftana) and Brandon (Ganuelas-Rosser) will be gone for another three games, Jayson (Castro) will be out longer, Kelly (Williams) has to fly back to the States to attend some personal matters, he’s indefinitely out as well,” said Reyes, whose team played for the first time since losing Game 7 of the Commissioner’s Cup Finals last month.

“You can only imagine how difficult it is for the rest of the guys. You guys also saw (Jordan) Heading today, he was nowhere near a hundred percent because he’s battling back spasms.”

Calvin Oftana is dealing with a calf problem, Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser is out due to a sprained ankle, while Jayson Castro remains sidelined due to an ankle injury he sustained in Game 6 of the Commissioner’s Cup Finals. Big man Poy Erram was also out.

Banged up, TNT barely beat Macau after squandering an 18-point lead in the fourth quarter.

Rey Nambatac, who’s eager to bounce back this Governors’ Cup after a sub-par campaign last conference, stepped up for the Tropang 5G with 23 points and six assists off the bench. Import Darius Days also tallied 23, while Roger Pogoy added 21.

Days is filling in for Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, who’s yet to receive clearance to play after rupturing his Achilles last December while playing for Meralco in the East Asia Super League (EASL).

Reyes, though, is optimistic that the Tropang 5G can make things work with Roger Pogoy, Rey Nambatac and an ailing Jordan Heading leading the pack.

“Like I’ve been saying, we can’t worry about who we could’ve had. The only thing we control is who we have.”

Shorthanded TNT will be tested playing three games in a span of a week from July 22 to 28 against Titan Ultra, Terrafirma and Converge.

2026-07-20T02:01:55Z