AFTER sweeping the season’s two import-reinforced tourneys, the TNT Tropang 5G are in no illusion that they will get an easy ride to complete a historic Triple Crown.
Minus Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, coach Chot Reyes’s troops got off to a scrambling start and suffered a 74-91 beatdown at the hands of the NLEX Road Warriors on Wednesday.
Calvin Oftana and his teammates will face another tough assignment as they play the Converge FiberXers in their second PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup game at the Ynares Sports Center in Antipolo.
But this won’t stop the Tropang 5G from trying to prove their worth.
“People are saying that, you know, we’re winning all these championships because of Rondae. Yes, that’s true, but all this talk has to stop, and these guys are still capable of winning without Rondae,” team manager Jojo Lastimosa said before the start of the tourney.
“And this is something that they have to prove. They need to come together and talk about it like, ‘Hey, you know we have to show that we can win without Rondae,’ and this is the biggest opportunity for them to show (that).”
With a solid lineup at all positions, the FiberXers could be another tough test for the Tropang 5G.
Justin Arana and Justine Baltazar could be some load for Poy Erram and Kelly Williams, as could Alec Stockton, Jordan Heading, and Schonny Winston for Oftana, RR Pogoy, and Rey Nambatac.
The FiberXers are at 2-2 going to the 7:30 p.m. tiff with victories over Phoenix (92-83) and Blackwater (111-80) and losses to Meralco (89-91) and Magnolia (71-83).
Meanwhile, the Tropang 5G will play their second game and will still try to get into the groove.
They’ve decided not to think about the Grand Slam aspiration to lessen the pressure and allow them to be a little loose.
Already minus RHJ, the Tropang 5G also have another big void to fill in the absence of Jayson Castro, who sustained a season-ending knee injury in the Commissioner’s Cup semis.
