TNT Tropang Giga was reclusive on the eve of its quarterfinals showdown on Tuesday with a dangerous defending champion Barangay Ginebra San Miguel in the Philippine Basketball Association Philippine Cup.
The BusinessMirror tried to reach the KaTropa’s explosive rookie, Mikey Williams, but the Filipino-American courteously denied an interview.
“Management wanted me to hold off on any interviews right now until after the playoff series,” Williams said. “Got to be locked in…promise to answer all the questions needed when the series is taken care of.
Despite holding a twice-to-beat advantage against the eighth seed Gin Kings, TNT team manager Gabby Cui requested the KaTropa to keep mum on their duel with the Gin Kings, who have to beat the eliminations top seed twice to force an upset as the eighth-seeded quarterfinalist.
The game is set at 6 p.m. at the Don Honorio Ventura State University gym in Bacolor, Pampanga. But if the players were advised not to talk, head coach Chot Reyes wasn’t.
Reyes messaged BusinessMirror that they still need to play their “best” to topple the short-handed Gin Kings, who are still expected to miss Scottie Thompson (health and safety protocols) and Japeth Aguilar (medial collateral ligament injury). Aguilar is out for the season.
“We’re playing the defending champs coming off a big win,” Reyes said. “It will take our best for us to have a chance.”
The KaTropa were 10-1 won-lost in the eliminations, absorbing their only setback at the hands of San Miguel Beer, 67-83, last September 8. Williams played a key role and wound up with an 18.4-point average in the eliminations.
Ginebra, on the other hand, squeezed into the playoffs as the No. 8 team. The Gin Kings needed to beat the Phoenix Super LPG Fuel Masters, 95-85, in sudden death last Saturday.
With a 4-7 win-loss record, the Gin Kings also needed NorthPort’s 122-84 win over Alaska last Thursday to forge that knockout game with the Fuel Masters.
Ginebra coach Tim Cone, owner of 23 PBA titles, is ready for battle.
“We will remain shorthanded it seems, but the guys are in good spirits and ready to play. Our focus now is just preparing,” Cone said. “We can’t worry about who’s not playing for us, we just roll with who we have and move on.”
Ginebra, for a fact, has one of the deepest bench in the league with Christian Standhardinger, Prince Caperal, Stanley Pringle and LA Tenorio ready to explode anytime.
No. 2 seed Meralco, on the other hand, is expected to exercise its twice-to-beat advantage to the hilt against No. 7 NLEX in the first game at 3 p.m.
Blackwater, meanwhile, dealt Simon Enciso to Terrafirma for Rashawn McCarthy in a one-on-one trade.