New players play key role in early Tropang Giga rise
A competitive chase for the four spots in the crossover quarterfinals appears to be shaping up in Group A of the PBA Governors’ Cup, with one team on top with a perfect slate followed by four others that split their first two assignments.
TNT is ruling the field after the first week of the group stage at 2-0, with coach Chot Reyes having a squad that seems hell-bent on atoning for an underachieving campaign the previous season and retaining the title in the conference that was last played in 2023.
With import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson healthy and playing in-form, Rey Nambatac being a suitable addition that the Tropang Giga had hoped for, and Poy Erram making up for lost time after being sidelined with an injury all of last season, they posted contrasting wins over the NorthPort Batang Pier and Meralco Bolts.
“We can’t dwell on our record, but the good thing is that our younger players and new players are stepping up,” said Reyes after Thursday’s 93-73 rout of the Philippine Cup champion Bolts. “If there’s one good thing about us is that we’re seeing the integration of the new pieces with the rest of the team.”
Meralco dropped to an even 1-1 record, with health concerns hounding the squad that was two months removed from its improbable run to the All-Filipino crown.
Chris Newsome became the latest bitten by the injury bug, twisting his left ankle twice against TNT but insisting that the severity of the injury isn’t as bad as some may fear.
Allein Maliksi and Raymond Almazan, key figures in the championship run, have also not played for Meralco, which also keeps a patient approach on import Allen Durham’s fitness.
“We’re not there yet and we expected this [slow start],” Bolts coach Luigi Trillo said.
Rain or Shine triumphs
Also at 1-1 is Magnolia, which bounced back from its opening night defeat to Meralco by holding off Converge, 105-93, Friday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Converge fell to the same record, while NorthPort also has the same win-loss slate after thrashing Terrafirma, which is parked at the bottom of Group A at 0-2 after losing both its games by a combined margin of 51 points.
In Group B, Rain or Shine assumed the top spot after using a strong finish to turn back Barangay Ginebra, 73-64, in Candon, Ilocos Sur. Rain or Shine is now at 2-0, ahead of NLEX and San Miguel Beer, the latter two teams slated to play Sunday against separate opponents at the Big Dome.
NLEX meets Phoenix at 5 p.m. while San Miguel battles group bottom feeder Blackwater at 7:30 p.m.
Phoenix is at 0-1 after a close-shaved 111-107 loss to San Miguel while Blackwater is at 0-2 despite the presence of dynamic rookie Sedrick Barefield.
