Calvin oftana (in the middle): Luminous point. —PBA Images
The TNT of the Grand Chelem search and the title champion Meralco are taken in tight places at this stage of the PBA Philippine Cup.
TOS TOPANG 5G, which seeks to challenge these chances of taking the chances of taking the all-Filino without Rondae Hollis-Jeffers, did the opposite, sliding at a start of 0-2 after the defeat of Sunday 100-94 against the fiberxers converges in Antipolo City.
“We come from two conferences by playing with Rondae, so honestly, we really adjust ourselves without him,” admitted Rr Pogoy in Philippin. “Before, he was still there in defense and he is still there to clean the boards, so we really make a lot of adjustments.”
Meralco, now halfway through eliminations, is confronted with a slate 2-3 victories-guards after abandoning his third consecutive match on Sunday, a defeat with a high score of 128-116 against the rain or the sun.
Chris Newsome only played 27 minutes and was only held three points on a 1 out of 6 shot, although he had four rebounds and seven assists. But the concerns of his physical condition could be crucial in the chances of the Bols after the star was in cramps throughout the competition.
“Whenever you are on a losses of defeats, it doesn’t feel good,” Newsome told Inquirer. “You want this good start to reach the playoffs early before the teams that are in the final and the semi-finals do not return to the mixture. (And) we have missed this opportunity.”
TNT LOST, 91-74, against Nlex last Wednesday at Smart Araneta Coliseum, then lagged behind by 22 against a higher team which saw Justin Arana and the Recruue Justine Baltazar each produce a double-double.
Phoenix Friday
But if there is a little shiny light, TNT can hold was the way he occurred in the second half when the converge’s head decreased to six behind Pogoy, plus bits of Poy Erram and Kelly Williams, and the shooting of Calvin Oftana, who finished with 33.
“We entered the Nlex game without any adjustment match, so we expected us to listen,” said Pogoy. “We did not expect to play like that against Converge, but I thought that in the second period, we finally had an idea of the way we want to play.”
As at the previous conference, TNT lost its first two games. But then, a sequence of six consecutive victories followed out on the way to the title. The chance to reproduce that starts on Friday against Phoenix in Montalban, Rizal, before facing San Miguel beer, on a solid 3-1 file, two nights later in Antipolo.
Meralco, meanwhile, has a long break before facing Northport on May 9 in what Newsome and the Hope company would be a good section in the back of eliminations.
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“This (crisis) is something that we have to fight and it shows that we have so much to work,” said Newsome. “Of course, we are the reigning champions, so everyone has their goal on us and it is to be expected. So, it is for us to make the adjustments and continue to retaliate.” Inq
