TNT Tropang 5G coach Chot Reyes during the PBA Philippine Cup Finals press conference with San Miguel Beermen. –PBA IMAGES
TNT coach Chot Reyes insisted that completing a historic Grand Slam is not on his mind as the Tropang 5G go for glory against the San Miguel Beermen for the PBA Philippine Cup trophy.
Reyes echoed the same sentiment when asked about his failed bid for a trifecta in 2011 when TNT fell one win shy of getting the job done, ironically against the same San Miguel franchise.
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“Nalimutan ko na nga yan eh (I’ve forgotten about that),” Reyes said during Friday’s pre-Finals press conference at Chardonnay Events Hall in Pasig City.
The then-Talk N’ Text Tropang Texters ruled the Philippine Cup and Commissioner’s Cup that year behind a talent-laden squad of season Most Valuable Player Jimmy Alapag, Jayson Castro, Kelly Williams, Ryan Reyes and Larry Fonacier.
They took on the Beermen, then known as the Petron Blaze Boosters, in a series that had the Tropang Texters as the heavy favorite. But Arwind Santos, Danny Ildefonso and import Anthony Grundy led the charge in winning the title in seven games.
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“2011 is really ancient history for me, so it’s really not in my consciousness,” the veteran mentor said.
This Finals could be a chance to atone for that disappointment as TNT looks to edge out a San Miguel team that beat Barangay Ginebra in the other semifinal playoff behind Calvin Oftana, Jordan Heading and Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser.
“It would be nice to win [the Philippine Cup] on its own merits, not because of past experiences,” added Reyes, who will be hoping to see RR Pogoy and Williams return from their respective injuries.