No friendly encounter

The major concern is coming off the long layoff and how it will affect our execution.

KJ McDaniels will carry the semis campaign of TNT KaTropa.

Sister teams TNT KaTropa and Meralco clash in Game 1 of their best-of-five semifinal series in the 2019 Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Governors’ Cup today at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The KaTropa and the Bolts collide at 6:30 p.m. with the latter hoping to sustain their strong finish in the elimination round and in the quarterfinals.

Meralco toppled the No. 7 seed Alaska, 94-84, in the quarterfinals to enter the Final Four for the first time since the 2017 Governors’ Cup where the Bolts lost to the Aces, 3-1.

Both teams’ concern is the long break as the league had to give way for the staging of the 30th Southeast Asian Games where Gilas Pilipinas was composed of PBA players with Ginebra mentor Tim Cone calling the shots.

“The major concern is coming off the long layoff and how it will affect our execution. It’s important that we get into a good rhythm immediately,” Meralco head coach Norman Black said.

Against Alaska in the quarterfinals, import Allen Durham had a big game with 28 points, 16 rebounds and eight assists, Allein Maliksi erupted for 23 points, his best game in Meralco uniform, and Chris Newsome had a stellar game with 17 points and five rebounds.

Black hopes the trio can deliver the same performance against the talented TNT KaTropa squad and at the same time put intensity on the defensive end.

“Our ability to defend in transition and also the three-point line will be keys. We are healthy going into the series,” Black added.

Meanwhile, the KaTropa try to get back to the finals and bury the bitter memories of the Commissioner’s Cup title loss to San Miguel Beer.

TNT KaTropa had a solid start in the season-ending conference with import KJ McDaniels, Jayson Castro, RR Pogoy and Troy Rosario leading the squad.

The team acquired Ray Parks Jr. in the latter part of the elims and it took a couple of games before the former National University managed to get into the system of head coach Bong Ravena.

The long break definitely will help Parks, who was acquired from Blackwater for Don Trollano, Anthony Semerad and a future first-round pick, be more familiarized with his teammates.

The KaTropa had to come back from 18-point deficit to survive the defending champion Magnolia squad in the quarterfinals, 98-97, to reach the semis with Castro tallying 30 points and seven assists and McDaniels adding 25 points, 17 rebounds and five blocks.

It was Castro’s second comeback game from a calf injury.

“We’re really a totally different team with him around,” said Ravena of his veteran guard, who was cut in the Gilas Pilipinas roster to rest his injury.