The TNT Tropang Giga is the first team to secure a finals spot in the 2024 PBA Governors’ Cup.

TNT eliminated the Rain or Shine Elastro Painters after a 113-95 Game 5 win on Friday, October 18, at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.

The key to that triumph was when Chot Reyes’ cogs rode on a 12-0 run in the second canto and kept that separation throughout the match.

“I think … that was it. The story was in that run, in that stretch. I think that wore them down,” said Reyes during the postgame press conference.

Import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, who was a dime shy of a triple-double of 36 points, 11 rebounds and nine assists, expressed his joy at returning to the gold medal match and also gave flowers to the gritty Elasto Painters.

“I feel good. But first, I wanna give credit to the other team. They made me work for everything that I’ve got,” Hollis-Jefferson said.

“It was a tough battle,” the American-Jordanian basketball player said further.

“Even though we won 4-1, you gotta give credit to those guys. They were rotating on me, playing excellent defense.”

RR Pogoy and Kim Aurin were there to help their star reinforcement, logging 19 and 12 points, respectively.

In a losing effort, six Elasto Painters were in twin-digit territory, led by Aaron Fuller who dropped an underwhelming 14-point showing, including six rebounds.

TNT will wait for the winner of the Ginebra-San Miguel bout, where the Gin Kings grabbed a pivotal 3-2 lead after a 121-92 victory earlier in the day. (ABS-CBN News)