With new team, Rosario sets out to battle former squad
Troy Rosario is seen as one of the X-factors in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals which will give him the chance to end his first conference with Barangay Ginebra with a championship at the expense of former team TNT.
“I’m excited to be in the Finals with my new team, especially that we’re going to go up against my former team,” Rosario said in Filipino after the Gin Kings booked their place in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals with a 126-99 rout of the NorthPort Batang Pier that wrapped up their semifinal series in five games.
Friday’s clincher at Smart Araneta Coliseum set the stage for a second straight Ginebra-TNT title chase after the two powerhouse teams squared off last November for the Governors’ Cup crown.
TNT won that duel in six games, but Ginebra will come in with the perceived advantage, not only with Rosario around but also with Jamie Malonzo and Jeremiah Gray back from their long absences due to injuries.
That, along with the Tropang Giga having to go through the series without veteran leader Jayson Castro following his season-ending knee injury, puts TNT on the back heel.
“Hopefully it’s going to be a good series,” added Rosario, who played for TNT from his rookie year in the 2015-2016 season until the conclusion of the 2022 Philippine Cup.
Three-team trade
Rosario was a key frontline cog for the flagship franchise of the MVP Group, appearing in five Finals stints, including TNT’s run to the 2021 Philippine Cup bubble in Bacolor, Pampanga.
But the Tropang Giga decided to ship Rosario days after losing to the San Miguel Beermen in the 2022 Philippine Cup Finals when they completed a three-team trade in order to secure the services of Calvin Oftana from the NLEX Road Warriors.
Rosario landed with the Blackwater Bossing, playing for two seasons there before becoming an unrestricted free agent. While it was reported that he had entertained the possibility of a TNT reunion, Rosario eventually signed with Ginebra, the team rooted as a youngster.
Rosario will set aside his close bond with old TNT pals, including best friend Poy Erram, in what could be a rugged individual matchup.
Rosario’s presence in the middle could be one of the determining factors in Ginebra’s quest to finally get one over TNT after falling short in the previous two Finals meetings of both teams.
Game 1 will start on March 14 at Mall of Asia Arena, which will also host the second game two nights later.
PhilSports Arena will be the site of Game 3 on March 19 before the two teams go up to Ynares Center for Game 4 on March 21. The rest of the series, if necessary, is at Smart Araneta Coliseum on March 23, March 26 and March 28.
