Collective effort key to Dyip playoff push

Terrafirma has a golden opportunity to make it to the quarterfinals of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Philippine Cup for the first time in eight years.

An outright ticket to the playoffs awaits the Dyip in their final elimination round match against powerhouse Magnolia on 3 May at the Philsports Arena.

But to secure that coveted spot, Terrafirma head coach Johnedel Cardel constantly reminds his team of the importance of ball movement and balanced contribution.

He wants to see the Dyip’s collective effort and not rely too much on his prized guard Juami Tiongson or top rookie Stephen Holt’s productions.

“I told them that we can’t just rely on Juami alone so everybody should contribute. We’ll have a better chance of winning if everybody contributes,” Cardel said.

The Dyip carry an even 5-5 win-loss record at sixth to seventh spot tied with Rain or Shine. Another victory will secure Terrafirma a playoffs spot — its first since the 2016 Governors’ Cup.

A loss, on the other hand, would put Terrafirma in a precarious situation of a possible playoff for the last quarterfinals seat.

Tiongson’s explosive offense has been carrying the Dyip in their promising run with 21.9 points, 4.9 rebounds and 3.4 assists per game. Holt, the top overall pick in the last PBA draft, has an almost double-double average of 19.9 points and 8.5 rebounds per game to go with a norm of 6.4 assists.

Cardel, however, is confident his players fully understand their roles.