I still remember sitting in the arena that night, the air thick with anticipation and the smell of sweat and polished court floors. The PBA Finals between TNT and Meralco wasn't just another championship series—it felt like a clash of destinies, a battle between two teams that had been circling each other all season. As someone who's followed Philippine basketball for over a decade, I've seen my share of epic matchups, but this one had that special electricity that tells you you're about to witness something historic.
What struck me most about TNT's approach was their mental toughness, something we saw mirrored in Adrian Nocum's response to Rain or Shine's heartbreaking Game 2 loss in the semifinals. Nocum's positive mindset despite that devastating defeat demonstrated exactly the kind of resilience that separates champions from contenders. Watching TNT in the finals, I could see that same mentality at work—they played like a team that understood losses happen, but championships are won by how you respond to adversity. When Meralco went on their third-quarter runs, which they did in both Games 3 and 5, TNT never panicked. They'd call a timeout, regroup, and methodically chip away at the lead rather than forcing desperate shots.
The statistical dominance TNT displayed was frankly astonishing. Mikey Williams averaged 28.7 points throughout the series, including that incredible 38-point explosion in Game 4 where he hit 8 three-pointers. But what impressed me more than the star power was how TNT's role players stepped up at critical moments. I remember specifically in Game 6, with the score tied at 89-89 and just under three minutes left, it wasn't Williams who made the decisive play—it was Roger Pogoy diving for a loose ball that led to a Kelly Williams fastbreak dunk. Those are the moments championships are made of, the unsung efforts that statistics can't fully capture.
Meralco fought valiantly, and I have to admit part of me was rooting for them—there's something compelling about an underdog story. Chris Newsome was spectacular, averaging 24.3 points and nearly carrying his team to victory single-handedly in Game 5. But basketball is a team sport, and TNT's superior ball movement created better scoring opportunities throughout the series. TNT averaged 22.4 assists per game compared to Meralco's 18.7, and that unselfishness made all the difference in those tight fourth quarters.
What TNT understood better than Meralco was how to manage momentum swings. Basketball isn't played in a vacuum—it's an emotional game where confidence can shift in an instant. I noticed TNT coach Chot Reyes consistently making substitutions not based solely on statistics but on emotional cues. When he saw a player getting frustrated or tired, he'd make a change before the situation deteriorated. Meralco's coach Norman Black is a legend, but in this series, he seemed slower to adjust to these psychological undercurrents.
The turning point came in Game 4, with the series tied 2-2. TNT was down by 12 points early in the fourth quarter, and the momentum had completely shifted to Meralco. The arena was deafening with Meralco fans sensing blood in the water. But then something remarkable happened—TNT didn't just mount a comeback, they completely dismantled Meralco's defense through systematic, patient basketball. They ran the same pick-and-roll play four consecutive times, each time reading the defense and making the correct pass. That level of execution under pressure is what separates good teams from great ones.
I've always believed that championships are won as much between the ears as on the court, and TNT's mental preparation was evident in how they handled late-game situations. In the final two minutes of close games throughout the series, TNT committed only 3 turnovers compared to Meralco's 7. That discipline comes from hours of practice, certainly, but also from a collective belief that they belonged in that championship moment.
The celebration after Game 6 was something I'll never forget—the pure emotion on the TNT players' faces, the confetti raining down, the trophy gleaming under the arena lights. But what stuck with me most was seeing the Meralco players consoling each other, their dreams dashed but their pride intact. This series had everything a basketball fan could want—drama, spectacular plays, strategic brilliance, and human emotion playing out on the hardwood. TNT didn't just win because they had better players—they won because they had better composure, better adaptability, and that intangible champion's mentality that Adrian Nocum alluded to after his own team's semifinal heartbreak. Sometimes in sports, the team that wins isn't necessarily the most talented, but the one that best understands how to overcome adversity. And this series proved that beyond any doubt.
