Calvin Oftana delivered a historic performance and TNT Tropang Giga rediscovered its identity just in time, shocking the San Miguel Beermen, 89-84, to finally notch their first win in the 2025 PBA Philippine Cup on Sunday, May 4, at the Ynares Center.

Oftana erupted for 23 points and a career-high 21 rebounds, notching a rare 20-20 game that ignited the Tropang 5G after a dismal 0-3 start. The victory came at the expense of the mighty Beermen, who dropped to 3-2.

“The simple realization worked wonders,” said TNT head coach Chot Reyes. “We’re a different team now without Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Jayson Castro. So, we said, ‘Let’s write our own story.’ Hopefully, this is just the first chapter.”

Oftana, the 6-foot-5 forward, shared that the turning point came during a team huddle where he emphasized one word: rebounding. He delivered on that promise, grabbing two crucial defensive boards down the stretch to preserve TNT’s lead.

“It was just yesterday in our huddle that we said: ‘Let’s just show up.’ That’s what we were lacking in the last three games,” said Oftana.

Veteran guards RR Pogoy and Simon Enciso came through in the clutch, knocking down back-to-back triples inside the final minute to crush SMB’s hopes of a comeback. Enciso, once a member of the Beermen, torched his former team with three treys for 13 points, four assists, two rebounds, and zero turnovers.

Also stepping up were Rey Nambatac, Kelly Williams, and Glenn Khobuntin, each contributing to TNT’s well-balanced offensive and defensive effort. Better shooting, quicker transition plays, and superior ball movement were key in TNT’s upset.

CJ Perez led the Beermen with 26 points, while June Mar Fajardo added 21 points and 14 rebounds, but it wasn’t enough to hold off a TNT team fighting for survival and identity.

Now at 1-3, TNT aims to ride this momentum and continue redefining itself, minus its former stars, in what could be a new era for the Tropang Giga.