The TNT Tropang Giga may have fallen short in the 2025 PBA Philippine Cup Finals, but the return of veteran Almond Vosotros wound up becoming one of the best storylines of the conference.

The 35-year-old guard returned to the Tropang Giga last May 30 to fill the void left by the injured Jayson Castro and Rey Nambatac. He played spot minutes at best in the weeks that followed, though come the Philippine Cup Finals, he eventually became a vital part of the team’s rotation. 

Vosotros emerged as one of the top reserve options of TNT head coach Chot Reyes late in the series against the San Miguel Beermen and he did not disappoint. He did not suit up over the first two games of the series, yet when he was finally given an opportunity to play in Game 3, he proved to be more than ready.

The former DLSU Green Archer scored 14 points on five-of-six field goals in only 13 minutes of play in the Tropang Giga’s Game 3 loss and this earned him a more consistent role for the next three games of the Finals. He wound up averaging 10.3 points and 2.3 three-pointers across the four Finals games that he played in as his three-point shooting proved to be invaluable for TNT.

Vosotros is actually widely accomplished as a 3×3 player with the TNT Triple Giga, winning five straight championships with the team in the now-defunct PBA 3×3 tournament, though this never translated into a major role with the main TNT team–until this year, that is. When he was finally given an opportunity, Vosotros proved that he can make an impact on the 5×5 stage as well. With his play in this series, it would not come as a surprise if Reyes and the Tropang Giga decide to keep him around for the next conference at the very least. 

What’s curious about Vosotros’ journey in the PBA is that he may have entered the league a few years too early. He has always been an elite three-point shooter and if he had been drafted in, say, 2019 instead of 2015, it might have been easier for him to earn a consistent role with a team. The three-point revolution came just a bit too late for Vosotros’ skillset and given the short window of time that young prospects in the PBA have to prove themselves, the odds were stacked against him. 

All is not lost though. There is still a lot of time for Vosotros to make a name for himself in the PBA, especially when considering that the league’s relatively low level of athleticism compared with other professional leagues makes it easier for older players to stick around. This could be the beginning of the Almond Vosotros renaissance, especially with the premium that is put on perimeter shooting these days.