MVP: Nothing to be ashamed of

No less than Smart Communications boss Manny V. Pangilinan dropped by TNT’s dugout moments after the Tropang 5G yielded Game 6 of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Philippine Cup finals to the mighty San Miguel Beer.

The mood inside the locker room at the Philsports Arena in Pasig City was cold and gloomy.

Understandably so.

What started as a promising Season 49 after conquering the import-laden Governors’ Cup and Commissioner’s Cup ended with the agonizing pain of defeat.

Some were barely holding back tears from the heartbreaking loss that cost the team the chance to banish the ghost of 2011 when the then-Talk ‘N Text fell short in its first attempt at a historic grand slam — cruelly against the same rival franchise.

It was an indescribable sorrow. A wound that will surely leave a deep scar.

Too many “What ifs” for the Tropang 5G, whose campaign faced a sadistic amount of adversity.

Amid the deafening silence, Pangilinan spoke.

“Tatagalugin ko na. Nakakalungkot. Nakakaiyak. Pero hindi naman nakakahiya,” the TNT top honcho told the team after absorbing a 96-107 loss on a rainy Friday night that closed the chapter of a grueling best-of-seven series.

His words were comforting.

What he said was a reassurance that his faith in the team had not diminished, despite entering a quiet room that, in the past two conferences, had been raucous and festive, filled with the fragrance of imported celebratory drinks.

“Sabi nga, the heads tonight are bowed in sorrow, but not in shame. But not in shame. Hindi nakakahiya ang performance niyo, so maraming salamat,” he added.

Indeed, there’s nothing TNT should be ashamed of.

The road to a third straight finals was bumpy.

Veteran guard and Governors’ Cup Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) Jayson Castro was already out of the picture even before the start of the all-Filipino conference following a season-ending knee injury.

Then, Commissioner’s Cup Final MVP Rey Nambatac went down with a pulled groin that cut his third tournament short, followed by backup guard Jielo Razon undergoing an appendectomy.

TNT struggled with a 0-3 start but still managed to advance in the playoffs, albeit in a twice-to-win handicap against Magnolia.

Against all odds, the Tropang 5G pulled off an upset by eliminating the Hotshots for a third straight semifinals dance with Rain or Shine.

TNT endured six highly physical games, during which guard RR Pogoy missed four outings due to a hamstring injury and elder statesman Kelly Williams sat out two, to limp its way into the championship against the top-seeded Beermen.

The Tropang 5G took Game 1 in a controversial ending but lost the next three to a rampaging San Miguel side.

A ray of hope in Game 5 smiled at TNT after extending the series sans big man Poy Erram (meniscus) and another guard Simon Enciso (fractured orbital bone).

But it just delayed the inevitable.

Without the personnel to body up against 12-time Best Player of the Conference June Mar Fajardo and depth to support their toiling starters, the Tropang 5G, despite their valiant effort, were already spent.