TNT Tropang 5G head coach Chot Reyes gave his team a tongue-lashing before it plunged into what would eventually be the first of its two do-or-die games in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) quarterfinals against third-seeded Magnolia.

His strong words during the Tropang 5G’s preparation for the playoffs fueled their drive to stay in the hunt for a grand slam and snap a concerning two-game slump to end the elimination round.

“We had a long talk, and Roger (Pogoy) can attest to that, before practice the other day, to ask them really how much they want it. If this is something they really, really want because this is going to be really, really hard,” Reyes said.

Pogoy and the rest of TNT responded with an inspired game, staving off a late-game rally by the twice-to-beat Hotshots for an 89-88 escape Wednesday night at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City.

Pogoy dropped 30 points and had plenty of help in forcing a sudden death on Saturday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

“My mindset coming to this game is that I don’t want to lose. I don’t want to go on vacation yet,” said Pogoy, who is determined to keep the Tropang 5G on the right track to add the season-ending all-Filipino conference title to earlier Governors’ Cup and Commissioner’s Cup conquests.

Calvin Oftana had a double-double of 21 points and 16 rebounds, Kelly Williams had 12 while Jordan Heading and Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser submitted 10 markers each in TNT’s huge payback win over its end of elims tormentor.

The Tropang 5G bounced back from a sorry 88-83 loss to the Hotshots last Friday that sent them to a twice-to-win handicap. M. ESCARLOTE

That loss also irked Reyes as he resorted to calling out his wards for their lack of focus on their main goal heading into the quarters. It lit a fire under TNT.

“It’s always like that. If coach gets mad and starts asking what we really want, it’s like added fuel for us in the next game. Lahat, gustong magpakamatay,” Pogoy said.

“Sometimes we get too relaxed. Coach getting mad is a wake-up call for us.”

Reyes got his intended effect.

“Our mindset is that we’re coming back to play another game on Saturday. Coming into this ballgame we set our practice schedule for tomorrow (Thursday) and Friday because we’re hell bent on playing on Saturday,” he said.

The TNT-Magnolia winner will battle the do-or-die survivor between No. 2 seed NLEX and Rain or Shine in the best-of-seven semifinals. M. ESCARLOTE