GAMES TODAY
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
5 p.m. – TNT vs. Rain or Shine
7:30 p.m. – Ginebra vs. NorthPort
TNT coach Chot Reyes and Rain or Shine counterpart both refused to embrace the favorites tag. Who among the combatants will get the crucial head start should give a slight hint on who really has the edge—at least in the opening salvo.
The Tropang Giga square off with the Elasto Painters as the semifinals of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup gets going today at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Game time is set for 5 o’clock as the best-of-7 Last Four battles begin after the pro league took a 16-day respite to give way for Gilas Pilipinas’ campaign in the third window of the FIBA Asia Cup qualifiers last week.
Eliminations pacesetter NorthPort clashes with Ginebra also in Game 1 in the other semis pairing in the nightcap at 7:30 p.m.
“Tinalo nga kami niyan last time but because of history, past performance siguro kaya some may look at us as the favorites here,” Reyes said, referring to his charges’ 96-106 loss to Rain or Shine when they first met in the elims last Jan. 31. “Pero playoffs ito, best-of-7. Ang tawag nga nila dito, the second season, ‘di ba?
“All of the previous games, performances against them, they don’t mean much. We don’t look at ourselves as the favorites here,” he added.
Two-time best import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson is expected to show the way for TNT which emerged as the No. 2 seed in the quarterfinals and made short work of foreign guest team Eastern. He will be backstopped by the likes of gunners Calvin Oftana, Roger Pogoy, and Rey Nambatac and veterans Jayson Castro, Kelly Williams, and JP Erram.
“Kung liyamadista ka, siyempre pipiliin mo ang TNT dito,” Guiao said. “But I think we’re more ready this time.
“Iyong experience namin dati na sila rin kalaban namin, that gives us more wisdom, a better perspective, on how to prepare against them.”
Reyes maintained their opponents are a different team from what they battled in the semis of the last Governors’ Cup.
“They’re very different (from the last conference), they’re a lot more mature, iba na rin import nila,” he said. “Noong Governors’ Cup wala noon si (Caelan) Tiongson. Ang laking bagay sa kanila si Tiongson, a very big contributor talaga.”
Guiao and his sixth-ranked Painters hurdled the No. 3 Converge FiberXers in the Last Eight in three grueling tiffs.
Rain or Shine will rely on reinforcement Deon Thompson and locals Adrian Nocum, Tiongson, Leonard Santillan, Andrei Caracut, and veterans Beau Belga and Gabe Norwood.
The long break could make or break the four squads and who will rise to the occasion will be known today.
