A SLOT in the quarterfinals and a four-game winning streak should give any coach a little sense of fulfillment. But not Chot Reyes of defending champion TNT.

The Tropang Giga try to bolster their bid for the top spot in the Last Eight when they battle the Magnolia Hotshots today in Group A in the PBA Governors’ Cup at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium in Manila.

The game is set at 7:30 p.m. after Rain or Shine faces NLEX in Group A action in the curtain-raiser at 5 o ‘clock.

TNT repeated over Meralco 108-99 Thursday last week that stoked the Tropang Giga’s mark to 6-1, with veteran Kelly Williams making his return from a calf injury that pleased Reyes no end.

“(Kelly) is very important as Kelly gives us not only the size but the athletic ability and veteran leadership,” Reyes said, referring to the evergreen big man. “Like against the Bolts in the stretch, there were about two, three possessions where we had to make a stop.

“Kelly was inside to help in those defensive situations and any points that Kelly scores for us is really a bonus,” he added.

Williams is expected to combine with reigning best import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Jayson Castro, Calvin Oftana, Roger Pogoy, and Rey Nambatac for TNT.

Magnolia’s gambit of replacing reinforcement Glenn Robinson III with Shabazz Muhammad initially paid off when the Hotshots nipped the Terrafirma Dyip 99-98 five nights ago that raised their card to 4-3.

Muhammad, Zavier Lucero, Calvin Abueva, Paul Lee, Ian Sangalang, and Mark Barroca are tipped to step up for Magnolia.

The Tropang Giga repulsed the Hotshots 88-82 in their first-round clash last Aug. 29.

The Road Warriors will boast a new import in former Orlando Magic DeQuan Jones in lieu of Myke Henry in their drive to sweep their last three outings to dislodge Blackwater and gain at least the No. 4 spot in their group.

“We will try to do the best we can. Tight iyong race namin sa last spot to enter, very tight.

Kaya next three games namin very crucial talaga,” NLEX tactician Jong Uichico said after his crew’s 114-119 defeat to San Miguel Beer last Wednesday that dropped the Road Warriors to 3-4. “We’ll just try to win as many as we can.

“One game at a time, but the mindset is the same for us, which is to try and pull off wins just to get into the next round.”

How Jones fares in his debut for NLEX will be known when he teams up with the likes of Robert Bolick, Michael Miranda, Enoch Valdez, Richie Rodger, and Baser Amer.

The Elasto Painters absorbed a 102-124 shellacking at the hands of the Ginebra Kings last Friday that brought them down to 5-2, still good for second, but Rain or Shine strategist Yeng Guiao is out to make sure they won’t get disheartened.

“If you lose by 20-plus points… I think iyon ang puwedeng mag-dampen ng spirit mo or magbaba ng morale mo. We just need to be careful how to treat iyong loss na ito,” Guiao said.

“We have to find ways to keep our momentum going and look for something positive that we can take out of this loss.”

The Painters will bank on reinforcement Aaron Fuller, rookie Felix Lemetti, Adrian Nocum, Jhonard Clarito, and Andrei Caracut.

Rain or Shine mauled the Road Warriors 124-105 when they first met last Aug. 28.

While TNT and the Painters are warming up for the playoffs, the remaining two squads have their job cut out for them.