Wounded Tropa shoot for finals berth
CALVIN Oftana and the TNT Tropang Giga aim to wrap up their PBA Philippine Cup best-of-seven semifinal series when they clash with Rain or Shine in Game 5 on Friday.
PHOTOGRAPH COURTESY OF PBA
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Games today:
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
5 p.m. — TNT vs Rain or Shine
7:30 p.m. — San Miguel vs Ginebra
Grand slam-seeking TNT Tropang Giga goes for the jugular despite manpower woes in a crucial Game 5 showdown against a desperate to stay afloat Rain or Shine side today in the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Philippine Cup semifinals at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Tropang Giga head coach Chot Reyes expects tough resistance from the Elasto Painters when they meet again in the 5 p.m. curtain-raiser.
Meanwhile, San Miguel Beer and Barangay Ginebra tangle at 7:30 p.m. for the pivotal lead to shatter a 2-2 best-of-seven Final Four series.
TNT inched closer to a third straight finals appearance that will put it closer to the franchise’s first grand slam after bouncing back from a Game 3 loss with a 108-92 victory Wednesday for a commanding 3-1 series advantage.
But Reyes knows the highly physical Rain or Shine, which the Tropang 5G defeated in five games in both the season-opening Governors’ Cup and Commissioner’s Cup semis, won’t give up without a fight.
“For sure. They are playing with a lot of urgency, credit to coach Yeng (Guiao). They’re making great adjustments and he’s getting his guys to play really hard. So, we just have to match that. In fact, we have to overcome that,” Reyes said.
The mentor braces for an emotionally charged Elasto Painters charging with all their might.
“They’re going to come out with their hardest effort yet in this series, in Game 5,” Reyes added.
“So, we have to be ready. We have no other choice. We just have to be ready.”
But the challenge isn’t really about how ready TNT is for Game 5. It’s more about who will show up in uniform and actually get to see action.
Injury woes continue to haunt the Tropang 5G with Kelly Williams and Calvin Oftana going down with sprained ankles in Game 4 for a team that missed RR Pogoy (hamstring) in the past two games and veterans Jayson Castro (knee) and Rey Nambatac (groin) to season-ending injuries.
“I’m only concerned if we have enough men because we’re just falling like flies. We lost Kelly today, Calvin as well,” Reyes lamented.
Oftana, Williams and Pogoy are doubtful to suit up in Game 5, leaving Jordan Heading, playing with lingering back issues, Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser, Glenn Khobuntin and JP Erram to carry TNT’s fight.
“But just as it’s been since Day 1, not only this conference but the entire season, it’s just whoever we have, next man up,” Reyes added.
“So, for me going into the next game that’s my only concern: Who do we have and how can I make best use of whoever it is that we have left.”
On the other hand, the Beermen try to sustain the momentum of their 107-82 rout of the Kings in Game 4 last Wednesday.
No team in the series has won back-to-back games.
A healthier eight-time Most Valuable Player June Mar Fajardo spearheads San Miguel’s attempt to take a series advantage after playing catchup in the first four meetings.
Fajardo had a double-double of 12 points and 19 rebounds in the last game in his first start since sustaining a calf injury in Game 1.
CJ Perez, Juami Tiongson, Jericho Cruz and Don Trollano will back Fajardo against Ginebra’s Japeth Aguilar, Troy Rosario, Jamie Malonzo, Scottie Thompson and rookie RJ Abarrientos.
