Heading, TNT won’t waste title chances

Denied the first time, Jordan Heading is determined to write a different ending in TNT’s Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Season 50 Philippine Cup finals campaign against defending champion San Miguel Beer.

“We’re just really happy to have this opportunity again,” the Filipino-Australian said of the Tropang 5G’s fourth straight championship appearance.

A healthier Heading and TNT opened their best-of-seven encounter with the Beermen at press time at the Ynares Center-Antipolo.

Heading is in his second straight finals stint since his trade from Converge for the controversial Mikey Williams in June last year.

Tropang 5G struggled in the previous all-Filipino conference finals after losing key players, including Jayson Castro, Rey Nambatac and JP Erram, to injuries. Heading also had back issues during that finals series, which the then-grand slam-seeking TNT yielded in six games.

“To have another crack at this thing, we’re just hoping that it comes out a little bit differently this time,” the 29-year-old gunner said.

Heading also liked the Tropang 5G’s battle cry of winning one for him as what head coach Chot Reyes previously mentioned in one of his interviews.

“It sounds like a nice idea, winning one. Obviously, these guys have a lot of championships behind them. I’d like to join that group,” he said.

“I’m just trying to learn from the guys who’ve done it already. As they take the lead, hopefully we’ll take steps in the right direction.”

TNT team manager Jojo Lastimosa, who steered the franchise to its first-ever Governors’ Cup crown in 2023, expressed optimism that the squad will settle the unfinished business this time around.

“That’s what we’re aiming for. Even before I won a championship, I always wanted to win my first one,” he said.