It just gets harder
Getting past a higher-ranked foe in the quarterfinals seems to have alleviated whatever pressure TNT dealt with as the Tropang 5G now enter the new phase of its bid to complete a historic Grand Slam.
“There’s some relief that we were able to get to the Final Four,” coach Chot Reyes said as the Tropang 5G begin their best-of-seven semifinal face-off with the resilient Rain or Shine Elasto Painters on Wednesday at SM Mall of Asia Arena.
The two teams open their fourth straight playoff clash at 5 p.m., and there’s no doubt that there will be less pressure here at the start for Reyes and his gang compared to the series they were in against the Magnolia Hotshots, whom they needed to beat two straight times to get here.
They did that with a couple of high-wire, one-point victories.
Reyes, however, doesn’t see it that way, since the Tropang 5G will be up against an Elasto Painters side that likewise turned back the NLEX Road Warriors with twin wins as well.
“Any kind of happiness or satisfaction [in beating Magnolia] is short-lived,” said Reyes. “But at least we gave ourselves a chance. And that’s all we asked. All we asked for is a chance.”
TNT posted 4-1 series wins over Rain or Shine in the semis of both the Governors’ Cup and Commissioner’s Cup, on its way to capturing the title both times and moving in the position of completing the PBA’s ultimate achievement.
But the all-Filipino provides a different complexion now, especially with Rain or Shine’s hardworking young core of Adrian Nocum, Jhonard Clarito and even rookie Mike Malonzo providing the grit that past Yeng Guiao-coached teams are known for.
The Tropang 5G do have capabilities of matching that, apart from their advantage in depth, with defense as the trademark in their past two title runs.
RR Pogoy’s offense has picked up, and so has Calvin Oftana’s, while Kelly Williams and Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser were instrumental down low during the quarterfinals.
“We know how good of a quality TNT is,” Clarito, adjudged as the PBA Press Corps Player of the Week for averaging 16.5 points and 18.5 rebounds in the quarterfinals, said in Filipino.
“They’ve beaten us twice in the semis, and added Jordan Heading and got BGR (Ganuelas-Rosser) back,” Clarito went on. “We’re undersized, but we will do our best to put up a good fight and give TNT a good series.”
San Miguel Beer and crowd favorite Barangay Ginebra clash at 7:30 p.m. to start their own best-of-seven.
The sibling duel will be highlighted by the personal encounter between Beermen star June Mar Fajardo and Gin Kings veteran Japeth Aguilar, who in the Governors’ Cup semis was the main reason why they were able to contain Fajardo and take the semis series, 4-2.
“It doesn’t get easier for Japeth, it doesn’t get easier for us,” said coach Tim Cone. “We know how great San Miguel is and we know we have to get through them to have a chance of winning a championship.”
