TNT Tropang 5G has become an eager spectator, waiting for its opponent after securing its place in the finale of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Season 50 Philippine Cup.
It could be a rematch with defending champion San Miguel Beer or another championship date with Barangay Ginebra.
Either will surely give the Tropang 5G a tough challenge in their bid to end a five-year championship drought in the all-Filipino.
“It’s going to be a hell of a battle,” TNT guard Jordan Heading said.
While there’s the obvious anticipation for the survivor of the Beermen-Kings semifinals showdown, which was on its pivotal Game 6 as of press time with San Miguel looking for the closeout, Heading said the Tropang 5G are putting more importance on the things they have control of.
Banged up and bruised in a highly physical Final Four series with Meralco, TNT is taking advantage of the long rest to recuperate and regroup.
The Tropang 5G finished off the Bolts with a 99-96 Game 5 escape last Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum for their fourth straight finals appearance.
“We’re going to go into this finals series, thinking about us, focused on us,” Heading said.
“We’re not going to be focused on anything else. Nothing that we can’t control. Coach (Chot Reyes) is always stressing that,” added the Filipino-Australian.
A Ginebra win will extend the series to a second straight rubber match in the semis between the sister teams.
The Kings forced a Game 7 in the previous Philippine Cup semis before the Beermen emerged victorious to advance into the championship and eventually win the crown at the expense of the then-grand slam-seeking Tropang 5G.
TNT will come into the best-of-seven championship starting next week, with the concern of possibly sitting out injured starting guard RR Pogoy once again.
Pogoy skipped the series clincher to rest after re-injuring the same problematic left hamstring that forced him to miss several playoffs games last conference.
Reyes has already expressed skepticism about Pogoy’s availability for Game 1, so getting extra rest will be an advantage.
“Right now, our focus is going to be our rest and our recovery and preparing as best we can while waiting for the result of the other series,” the mentor said.
Heading echoed Reyes’ mindset.
“Obviously, we don’t know who we’re playing so there’s not really any point of us giving any energy to that,” he said.
“It’s just right now, getting a bit of rest, getting off of our feet and preparing for whoever it is.”