GAME TODAY
(PhilSports Arena, Pasig)
7:30 p.m. – SMB vs. TNT
THANKS largely to its indomitable willpower and fighting heart, TNT gained a lifeline—on its campaign and grand slam dreams.
But how long can the Tropang 5G withstand their injury woes and the might of the San Miguel Beermen?
Whatever it takes, according to coach Chot Reyes.
“We’ve said it all year—as long as we show up, we don’t give up, we give ourselves a chance. So, we were lucky that we were able to hold San Miguel down to below 80 points in this game,” Reyes said. “We are going to play our 75th game tonight, which is the most in PBA history ever and it’s been a very, very long season.
“The players are just playing on sheer grit and heart at this point. So, whatever it takes, without Poy (Erram, knee) and without Simon (Enciso, fractured orbital bone), as long as we have five guys who can walk, we’re going to keep fighting,” he added.
Out to salvage another do-or-die duel, TNT takes on SMB tonight in Game 6 of their best-of-7 finals battle for the PBA Philippine Cup crown at the PhilSports Arena in Pasig.
With another cold and stormy weather expected to serve as a riveting backdrop, the sixth match of the race-to-4 series is set for 7:30 p.m., with the Beermen determined more than ever to atone for a 78-86 loss in Game 5 last Wednesday night and foil their corporate rivals’ Triple Crown aspirations for the second time in history.
But the Tropang 5G are on a mission that rarely takes place in Asia’s pioneering pro league and scoring another victory will forge a winner-take-all collision for all the marbles on Sunday, July 27, at the same Pasig-based arena—
A scenario that should be feared by their foes.
SMB’s prized center and reigning eight-time MVP, June Mar Fajardo, admitted it could be a case of complacency for his side in the fifth tiff.
“Flat start kami and madami kaming lapses. Baka nga ganoon iyon (we relaxed),” Fajardo said. “Hindi naman basta-basta mo babalewalain iyong TNT kasi champion team iyon, back-to-back champion sila. Kailangan ilabas namin iyong 100 percent namin.
“Tapos na iyon game na iyon. Back na iyong focus namin sa next game.”
Fajardo, Jericho Cruz, Don Trollano, Mo Tautuaa, Chris Ross, Marcio Lassiter, and CJ Perez are all looking for coronation tonight.
The likes of Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser, Calvin Oftana, Roger Pogoy, Kelly Williams, Jordan Heading, Glenn Khobuntin, and Almond Vosotros will be hard-pressed to deliver anew for TNT.
“I saw a lot of fight and just an unwillingness to give up. Our discussion, our pre-game talk was all about, you know, this has been a very, very long season and now we’re down to our final week and I said, let’s make this the best week,” Reyes said. “We’ll just fight as hard as we can and we’ll see what happens.
“Luckily, I could see in practice and tonight in the body language and in the eyes of our players that they were just not willing to give up.”
It should be fulfilling—and fitting—if and when Reyes’ walking wounded charges get the job done amid adversity.
