Winless Slam-seeking TNT searching for lost groove
Winless TNT enters what could possibly be the determining factor of its Grand Slam chances on Sunday when it battles a San Miguel Beer side that seems hell-bent on keeping its revenge tour on the road.
But coach Chot Reyes, on the heels of another stinging setback that dropped TNT’s record to 0-3 in the PBA Philippine Cup, is focused more on getting the Tropang 5G’s groove back instead of fanning hope into their slowly fading dreams of completing only the sixth triple crown in league history.
“I just want us to get back to our game and just string a good quarter together,” Reyes said ahead of the 7:30 p.m. match at Ynares Center in Antipolo City. “And we have not been able to do that.”
Reyes’ wards endured another miserable outing two nights earlier as TNT fell, 95-81, to Phoenix in the league’s first visit to the newly constructed Ynares Center II in Montalban, Rizal. TNT had another rough start and trailed by 27 at one point.
There was no mincing words from Reyes, who admitted that the Tropang 5G are not playing like the team that produced two championships this season with import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson.
Among the reasons he mentioned were the lack of connectivity and playing selfish basketball, things that were polar opposites of what TNT flaunted during those title runs.
“We haven’t been able to put a nice, good, solid defensive and offensive quarter together,” he lamented. “I don’t know how we can do that against a powerhouse like San Miguel. [But] we will continue trying.”
While Reyes seems to downplay TNT’s chances, San Miguel is not letting its guard down despite the perceived advantage in the standings, depth and form.
San Miguel won three of its four games to begin the conference and is nine days removed from a 104-93 mastery of sister team Barangay Ginebra.
Unbeaten hotshots
“We have to be ready, and we can’t relax against TNT,” Beermen star CJ Perez said. “And every all-Filipino, people expect us to compete because we have June Mar [Fajardo]. But it’s really a team effort, and what’s good about us is that we have good chemistry and camaraderie.”
Magnolia, meanwhile, aims to extend its unbeaten start to five games in the 5 p.m. curtain-raiser against slumping Terrafirma.
The Hotshots beat the Phoenix Fuel Masters, 118-99, in their last game in Zamboanga City to remain the only team without a loss.
Terrafirma, meanwhile, continues its campaign while still dealing with the uncertainty surrounding the future of the franchise as Dyip management is now in talks with the Zamboanga Valientes ownership.
