TNT has yet to figure out its opponent in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals at press time, but coach Chot Reyes didn’t mince his words with regards to what’s next.
“I don’t think it’s a secret that we’re going to play Ginebra,” Reyes said after the Tropang Giga finished off the gritty Rain or Shine ElastoPainters, 97-92, on Friday in Game 5 of their semifinal series at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
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The crowd-favorite Gin Kings could confirm the rematch of the season-opening Governors’ Cup title showdown if they beat the NorthPort Batang Pier in the nightcap.
And if they do, it will be the first time that two teams square off for the championship in back-to-back conferences since San Miguel Beer won both meetings against Alaska in the 2015 Governors’ Cup and 2015-16 Philippine Cup.
That likelihood is not lost on Reyes, who is bracing for a much difficult battle compared to TNT’s six-game triumph over Ginebra last November.
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Ginebra’s signing of Troy Rosario, the returns of Jamie Malonzo and Jeremiah Gray from injuries plus the loss of Jayson Castro to a broken knee are expected to change the dynamics of TNT, if the expected pairing is set.
“We all know how strong and deep that team is,” Reyes said. “Ginebra is a different team than Rain or Shine. We’re going into that series one man down and they have three new players, essentially, from the last time we played them in the Finals.
“So it’s going to be a huge challenge and we’re going to take a look and figure out how to best prepare ourselves for the Finals,” added Reyes.
The Finals won’t start until March 14 at Mall of Asia Arena, giving TNT enough time to plot its quest to win a second straight title and put itself in a position to go for the Grand Slam.
Third Finals
Rondae Hollis-Jefferson secured his third Finals appearance in four conferences since arriving in 2023 behind a 42-point performance on top of 11 rebounds, four assists and three blocks as TNT overcame a Rain or Shine side with an average winning margin of 4.8 points.
Rey Nambatac added 12 points, four rebounds, eight assists and two steals and would need to be in his best form in order to fill up the void left by Castro.
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Rain or Shine suffered a third consecutive Final Four exit, the last two against TNT, despite import Deon Thompson scoring 34 points in another strong showing.
But the lack of significant support from the locals, despite leading by double figures in the second half, eventually sealed the E-Painters’ doom as they now ponder on how to get over the hump for the season-ending Philippine Cup.
