TNT has managed to fare relatively well in the PBA Governors' Cup despite part of its sights also trained on some of its members representing the country in the recent FIBA World Cup qualifying window.
Imagine how the Tropang Giga could be more potent now that their undivided attention is firmly fixed on their match against Blackwater Friday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. Game time 3 p.m.
A third straight win would boost TNT's record to 5-4 and push it into a tie at fifth with San Miguel Beer and Barangay Ginebra while also firming up its bid for a place in the eight-team quarterfinals.
With a cellar-dwelling 0-9 slate Blackwater has long been taken out of the playoffs race and is now simply looking to end its league-worst 28-game winless freefall since last year.
Bossing coach Ariel Vanguardia maintains his team would still keep on trying, no matter the odds. "Hindi pa rin handang mag-give up ang team," he said on the eve of the match.
"May gameplan naman kaming inihanda and sana maging effective," added Vanguardia.
Definitely, it would take more than luck for Blackwater to beat TNT since the Tropang Giga are a talent-laden team whose mix of veterans and youth have now blended fully under coach Chot Reyes' system.
Also, scheduling seems to favor TNT since it has had ample rest since ending a gruelling four-game schedule in one week with back-to-back wins, capped by a 119-92 shellacking of Barangay Ginebra last Feb. 18, and the FIBA stint.
There's more. After Blackwater, TNT next takes on Terrafirma on Wednesday before ending its elimination round assignments against NorthPort two days later.
In contrast, the Bossing have to do a quick turnaround following a 103-116 loss to NorthPort just last Wednesday and would still have to tackle Magnolia Ang Pambansang Manok on Wednesday.
The respite was also sure to have been used by TNT to heal the lingering aches on Roger Pogoy, Poy Erram and Troy Rosario, as well as familiarize new acquisitions Matt Ganuelas-Rosser and Carl Bryan Cruz.
"Who knows? Bilog naman ang bola," said Vanguardia. (NC)(PBA)
(Photo credits to: PBA)