In a country that lives and breathes basketball, 2025 has offered another eventful chapter. From the fiercest of rivalries in the PBA to the exploits, the struggles, and the golden triumph of Gilas Pilipinas, it has been a memorable journey for the year that was.

TNT’s Grand Slam dream — and San Miguel’s spoiler role

TNT has put itself in a position to make history 14 years after failing in its first shot at achieving the coveted Grand Slam glory.

In an epic seven-game Finals series, the Tropang Giga asserted their mastery of the Barangay Ginebra Kings – the same team that they defeated to rule the first conference – with an 87-83 overtime win in the winner-take-all to wrest the PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup title last March.

Playing on one leg due to cramps after playing for over 52 minutes, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson remained undefeated against rival Justin Brownlee in their third finals meeting.

The legend of the "Game 7 Khobuntin" was also born on that game after Glenn Khobuntin — known for his hard-nose defense – delivered the clutch triple in the extra period to give TNT the breathing room it needed.

Of course, without Jayson Castro, Rey Nambatac took on the cudgels and was adjudged as the Finals MVP.

And then enter the perennial ruler of the Philippine Cup — San Miguel.

With TNT already gassed out after playing 75 games in the season, the Beermen foiled the Tropang 5G’s Grand Slam dreams with a 107-96 Game 6 victory in the finals.

It was history repeating itself as 14 years ago, it was also SMB, then carrying the Petron Blaze banner, which denied TNT of winning the triple crown. It was also a redemption of sorts for SMB as it reclaimed the crown it lost to Meralco just a season ago.

June Mar Fajardo remained as an immovable force in the All-Filipino but it was Jericho Cruz who spearheaded SMB all series long to also claim his Finals MVP honors. 

Transition year for Tim Cone’s Gilas Pilipinas

Gilas Pilipinas opened 2025 on the wrong foot — literally and figuratively — as Kai Sotto suffered an anterior cruciate ligament injury which sidelined him for the rest of the FIBA events this year.

Without the 7-foot-3 anchor, Tim Cone’s Gilas suffered back-to-back losses to Chinese Taipei and New Zealand in the final window of the FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers — two teams they defeated in their 4-0 start through the first two windows.

The slump got carried over to the Asia Cup proper as Gilas fell to the same teams in an inauspicious 0-2 start to its campaign. The Filipinos broke through with a win over Iraq and then survived the host Saudi Arabia in the qualification to quarters.

In the Magic 8, Gilas met defending champion Australia which sent the Filipinos packing with a seventh place finish in the continental tourney.

Looking to pick up the pieces from the defeat, Gilas has added reinforcements to the pool with Quentin Millora-Brown, Juan Gomez de Liano, Troy Rosario and RJ Abarrientos.

And the change did have an immediate impact, evident in the Nationals’ sweep of Guam in the first window of the World Cup Qualifiers. The victories also put a fitting end to the storied Gilas career of Japeth Aguilar.

But with the expected return of Sotto and the recent additions, there is some sense of optimism heading into the next window in February especially since the Filipinos will be hosting New Zealand and Australia.

Gilas SEA Games glory

All the dilly-dallying on the eligibility rules to the broken buses that caused delays and the questionable calls even on the games, the Gilas Pilipinas team of head coach Norman Black and Pat Aquino rose above the challenges and won double gold in the 33rd Southeast Asian Games.

That double victory proved to be the perfect ending to the year, especially with all the hurdles the two teams had gone through.

Black’s Gilas men’s team only had one complete practice session with the team prior to the tournament largely due to the Thailand organizing committee changing rules in eligibility.

Though not part of the first choices, guys like Cedrick Manzano, Jamie Malonzo, Robert Bolick and Dalph Panopio proved their readiness to step up as they helped Ray Parks Jr. Thirdy Ravena and Matthew Wright complete a second straight gold.

Likewise, Aquino was emotional after finally claiming the gold which the women’s side last won in the 2019 edition. The Nationals even opened the competition with two of their players still in the Philippines due to their UAAP duties and they only got completed in the knockout rounds.

Sofia Dignadice and Kacey Dela Rosa were the biggest revelations for the team that missed the services of mainstay and center Jack Animam.