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HAVING already played two games in the PBA Philippine Cup, including a win in its last outing. NLEX has the edge in terms of momentum against the debuting TNT Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Not so fast, according to Road Warriors coach Jong Uichico. “They’re riding a momentum. They’ve been together for so long, alam na nila isn’t-isa,” he pointed out.
Uichico was referring to the fact that the Tropang 5G have won the season’s first two titles and would want nothing more than to launch their bid for a Grand Slam on a bright note.
“Sana medyo wala pa sila sa kondisyon, pero still ‘yung chemistry nila tsaka ‘yung pagsasamahan nila ng pagkatagal-tagal na,” Uichico went on.
TNT coach Chot Reyes is not sure how his side will perform in its first game since starting practice only two Mondays ago. He gave it some time off following its Commissioner’s Cup title drive, which ended only on March 28.
“We’ve had good practices; it’s hard to tell. Iba naman kasi practice sa laro,” offered Reyes.
“We need games. Normally pagka ganyan we’d have tuneup games. Pero wala, eh, dahil nag-start kaming mag-practice umpisa na rin liga, eh,” added Reyes. “So iyon ang problema, pero we can’t complain kasi kailangan naman talagang bigyan ng break mga players.”
That’s not to say that TNT is on unfamiliar grounds, having been in a similar situation after winning the season-opening Governors Cup.
“If you remember, ‘yung start namin last conference dalawang talo kaagad,” said Reyes. “Kasi ganu’ng-ganoon din, eh. We started practice late, walang tuneup games, sabak na kaagad.”
The biggest difference for TNT this time around would be the absence of super import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, who was a vital cog in the 5G’s title romps, and the absence of injured ace point guard Jayson Castro,
How Simon Enciso, acquired from free agency to help fill Castro’s void, seamlessly slides into his latest team remains to be seen as far as Reyes is concerned.
“Very minimal adjustment lang para sa kanya since kilala na naman niya mga kasama niya kasi he’s been here before. Pero I wasn’t the coach yet so ibang-iba mga ginagawa. I’m sure he will struggle a bit, mangangapa pa iyan. But then I think he’s a smart player, he works hard, so hopefully hindi masyadong matagal,” said Reyes.
Uichico said Enciso’s addition only compounds one of the main problems with TNT. “Three-point shooting ng TNT talagang ang bigat. That is something that all teams are worried about,” he said.
“(Calvin) Oftana, (Roger) Pogoy, (Rey) Nambatac, (Glenn) Khobuntin, nandiyan pa Enciso. Many capable of shooting and scorer. Hindi p’wedeng sabihin na pigilan mo lang isang ito malaki na tsansa mo. It has to be a team effort,” added Uichico.
That doesn’t mean NLEX would just show up. “Of course, we will always find a way,” maintained Uichico.
“Ganyan naman talaga trabaho natin, pinpointing the problem and finding ways to remedy that,” Uichico also said. “First, hanapin muna strengths nila, accept those, and then find ways to counter.”