Reliving PBA Commissioner's Cup 2015: Top Moments and Championship Highlights

I still remember the chill that ran through the arena when Jayson Castro went down clutching his knee during Game 3 of the 2015 PBA Commissioner's Cup finals. As someone who's covered Philippine basketball for over a decade, I've witnessed countless injuries, but watching TNT's franchise player collapse felt like witnessing the championship hopes evaporate before my eyes. What followed was one of the most remarkable displays of resilience I've ever seen in professional basketball - a testament to what we now call the "Tropang 5G fighting spirit" that became the defining narrative of that tournament.

Looking back at the 2015 Commissioner's Cup, the numbers alone tell a brutal story. TNT entered the finals missing three of their starting five - Castro playing at maybe 60% capacity, Kelly Williams sidelined with a recurring heart condition, and Matt Ganuelas-Rosser battling through multiple injuries. Their roster had been reduced to essentially seven healthy players, yet they somehow pushed the powerhouse Rain or Shine Elasto Painters to six grueling games. I still shake my head thinking about Game 2, where TNT overcame a 15-point deficit with what felt like sheer willpower. Ivan Johnson, that volatile but brilliant import, put up 34 points and 16 rebounds that night while practically carrying the team on his back. The statistics showed TNT shooting just 38% from the field, yet they found ways to win through defensive stops and clutch free throws in the final minutes.

The turning point came during Game 4 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum, where 18,000 fans witnessed what I consider the gutsiest performance in recent PBA history. With Castro clearly limited, players like Ranidel de Ocampo and Larry Fonacier stepped up in ways nobody expected. De Ocampo played 42 minutes despite a nagging calf strain, contributing 24 points including four three-pointers that kept TNT within striking distance. What impressed me most wasn't the scoring though - it was the little things. Players diving for loose balls, taking charges, fighting through screens when their bodies must have been screaming in protest. Rain or Shine had the deeper roster, the healthier players, and arguably more firepower with import Wendell McKines averaging 28.7 points throughout the series. Yet TNT kept finding ways to stay competitive.

I've always believed championship teams reveal their true character during adversity, and TNT's 2015 squad embodied this philosophy. Coach Jong Uichico worked miracles with that depleted lineup, implementing defensive schemes that masked their physical limitations. They switched to a zone defense for long stretches, conserving energy while frustrating Rain or Shine's offensive flow. The numbers showed Rain or Shine shooting just 41% in Games 2 and 5 - both TNT victories - which speaks volumes about their tactical adjustments. What the stats can't capture is the emotional toll of playing through that much pain and exhaustion. I remember interviewing Larry Fonacier after their Game 5 victory, and he could barely stand during our conversation, yet he kept emphasizing how the team refused to use injuries as an excuse.

The championship-clinching Game 6 ultimately went to Rain or Shine 109-92, but the scoreline doesn't reflect how fiercely TNT competed until the final buzzer. They were down to six healthy players by that point, with Johnson fouling out early in the fourth quarter after putting up 29 points and 12 rebounds. The image that stays with me isn't the celebration at center court, but TNT's players embracing each other as they left the floor - exhausted, defeated, but somehow proud of what they'd accomplished against overwhelming odds.

Seven years later, I still reference that 2015 Commissioner's Cup when discussing team resilience in Philippine basketball. TNT finished with a 9-7 record overall, not particularly impressive until you consider they played the entire elimination round short-handed before losing four key rotation players during the finals. That they won two games against a complete Rain or Shine roster featuring Paul Lee, Gabe Norwood, and Jeff Chan at their peaks remains, in my view, one of the most impressive "almost championships" in league history. The term "Tropang 5G" has since become part of PBA lexicon, symbolizing that never-say-die attitude that transcends physical limitations. While Rain or Shine deserved their championship, having waited 17 years for a franchise title, I've always felt that series produced two winners in different ways - one hoisting the trophy, the other earning something perhaps more lasting: legendary status for their heart and determination.