Tropang Giga brace for dogfight vs Elasto Painters

TNT Tropang Giga believes that it has the right pieces to get past Rain or Shine in what is expected to be a dogfight in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Commissioner’s Cup best-of-seven semifinals series.

Pitted against their elimination-round tormentors, the Tropang Giga are seeking payback in a thrilling showdown that will unfold on 26 February at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

“It’s a best-of-seven (series). We have a long series ahead and it won’t be easy,” TNT forward Poy Erram said.

“But coach (Chot Reyes) would always tell us that this team is not built just for the Final Four.”

The second-seeded reigning Governors’ Cup champion advanced to its second straight semis appearance after booting out guest team Hong Kong Eastern, 108-93, in the quarterfinals.

TNT’s playoffs opener victory was a huge rebound from a stunning loss to the Elasto Painters, 96-106, last 31 January.

The Tropang Giga will need to bring the same intensity on defense it showed in eliminating Eastern.

TNT got pummeled by Rain or Shine the last time out after allowing the Elasto Painters to connect 17 triples. The Tropang Giga were also outrebounded by Rain or Shine, 46-61, and yielded 20 second chance points.

“We just need to play to our identity as a team. We focus on our offense and defense. It will all boil down to which team wants it more,” said Erram, who had 13 points and nine rebounds in TNT’s last meeting with the Elasto Painters.

“We want to focus, of course, on our defense because that’s what works for us (against Eastern).”

With more than three weeks of preparation, the Tropang Giga led by two-time Best Import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Gilas star Calvin Oftana, RR Pogoy, Rey Nambatac and veteran Jayson Castro are determined to replicate their semis win over the Elasto Painters in the Governors’ Cup.

“I believe we can sustain what we’ve been doing right because I would like to believe we are peaking at the right team,” Erram added.

“Again, we are not built just for the semis. We don’t want to waste our effort to get this far and not play at our best.”