Reyes shifts focus to winning All-Filipino

Barely catching its breath after a grueling but victorious Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Commissioner’s Cup title run, TNT could already feel the pressure of completing a rare grand slam.

As much as head coach Chot Reyes would’ve wanted to put the “G” word aside to pause and celebrate the Tropang Giga’s latest conquest, the topic of sweeping the 49th season is now unavoidable.

“I guess it couldn’t be avoided at this point, right? And I hope this is the last time you ask me about it,” Reyes quipped when asked about his thoughts about the grand slam after TNT sealed a second straight title with an 87-83 Game 7 overtime win over Barangay Ginebra Friday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Tropang Giga, despite going down 2-3 in the best-of-seven finals rematch with the Kings, rallied to complete a come-from-behind victory over the same rivals they defeated in six games in the season-opening Governors’ Cup.

Even the loss of veteran leader Jayson Castro to a season-ending knee injury did not deter TNT from claiming its 11th crown overall and closer to a historic grand slam.

Reyes admitted that expectations will be on a whole new level for his crew when the Philippine Cup unfolds next week.

“But yeah, I acknowledge that fact now,” he said.

And achieving the feat is easier said than done.

For sure, other teams will have their gun sights pointed at the Tropang Giga and all are on a mission to spoil their parade.

“There is going to be tremendous pressure on us. There’s going to be a huge target on our backs,” said Reyes, who now holds 11 PBA titles under his name.

“Of course, 11 other teams are going to do their darn best to stop us,” he added.

Unlike in their first two titles with three-time Best Import winner Rondae Hollis-Jefferson and Governors’ Cup Finals Most Valuable Player Castro at the helm, TNT will have its hands full in a very competitive all-Filipino field sans two key stars.

Reyes, however, remained hopeful that the grit and determination shown by his wards in their first two championship runs would be enough to pull them through.

“As you can see, we don’t really have the best talent, we really don’t have the deepest bench. But there is something in our players. They just refuse to quit,” Reyes said.

“That’s what we’re going to bring into this next conference. I’ve learned all my life that if you work hard, you put yourself in a good chance that good things will happen. It’s not a guarantee, but at least, you put yourself in a good position. That’s what we’ve done. With this victory, we put ourselves in that position,” he added.

Shooting for a grand slam is nothing new for the former Gilas Pilipinas coach.

In fact, the Philippine Cup will be his chance for redemption after falling short in the 2010-2011 season.

‘As you can see, we don’t really have the best talent, we really don’t have the deepest bench. But there is something in our players. They just refuse to quit.’

Talk ‘N Text was able to secure the Philippine Cup and Commissioner’s Cup thrones, only to be denied by San Miguel Beer in the Governor’s Cup finals that went the full distance.

The PBA has only seen five grand slams. San Mig Coffee was the last franchise to achieve the feat in the 2013-2014 season under now Ginebra coach Tim Cone.

Reyes right now is on the threshold of joining other legendary tacticians in Baby Dalupan (Crispa), Tommy Manotoc (Crispa), Norman Black (San Miguel) and Cone (Alaska, San Mig Coffee) on the elite club of grand slam coaches.