TNT, San Miguel break logjam
MANILA, Philippines — In-form Magnolia seeks to tighten the noose on embattled Meralco while rivals TNT and San Miguel Beer battle for control as the 46th PBA Philippine Cup semifinals heat up with pivotal Game 3 today in Bacolor, Pampanga.
The Hotshots gun for a commanding 3-0 lead against the Bolts at 3 p.m., looking to sustain the momentum from their opening 88-79 and 92-78 victories to move closer to the finish line in the race-to-four affair.
After splitting the initial skirmishes, the Tropang Giga and the Beermen break their 1-1 stalemate at 6 p.m.
The Bolts haven’t gotten traction in the series so far and even found themselves facing manpower woes with Raymond Almazan limping out of Game 2 with a sprained ankle.
But Magnolia coach Chito Victolero refused to get lulled into complacency.
“We will not relax, hindi kami pwedeng mag-relax. We will try to push hard as long as meron kaming limang kalaban,” he said.
“Both teams want to win so of course they have to give their best effort,” added the Hotshots mentor, who braces for “a battle of mental toughness in a physical game.”
Meralco counterpart Norman Black said Almazan is “doubtful” for the must-win third match.
“Our other bigs will have to step up and get the job done,” said Black, issuing the challenge to regulars Reynel Hugnatan, Cliff Hodge and Mac Belo as well as relievers Noy Baclao and Toto Jose as they tackle the likes of Ian Sangalang and Calvin Abueva.
Meanwhile, TNT and SMB race to get the head start in what’s become a virtual best-of-five contest.
The Tropang Giga actually dominated the first two games but only succeeded in winning the opener, 89-88. They failed to protect a 19-point lead in Game 2 and yielded a 96-98 setback.
“We’re happy to be tied 1-1 without Kelly (Williams),” said TNT strategist Chot Reyes, whose charges are battling a full-strength SMB frontline with veteran big Williams out due to health and safety protocols. “We need to find ways to compete against the most talented, deepest team in the league.”
SMB counterpart Leo Austria challenged his troops to assert themselves early after playing catch-up in the first two outings.
“We have to control the tempo because we’re facing a very talented and energetic team. Most of them have fresh legs so we need to be able to handle their pressure better and also limit our turnovers,” he said.