Chot’s tweak vs Meralco pays off

MANILA, Philippines —  It wasn’t the usual TNT offensive jolt that coach Chot Reyes threw at Meralco when the Tropang 5G won, 100-95, in Game 1 of the PBA Philippine Cup semifinals at the Smart Araneta Coliseum last Sunday. TNT refocused its point of attack from outside to inside, leading to 47 free throws and outscoring the Bolts, 37-12 at the line as the tweak paid off rich dividends.

Before the semis, TNT averaged 18.8 free throw and 35.9 three-point attempts. In Game 1, TNT took only 21 triples or 31.8 percent of its shots, down from 43.3 percent in the elims and quarters. The shift meant Reyes exploited the mismatch in the middle and took away Meralco’s size advantage in the backcourt. With TNT aggressively attacking the interior, Meralco wound up giving away foul shots.

Meralco coach Luigi Trillo pointed to the free throw disparity and appealed for consistency in making calls both ways. The Bolts had a 21-point lead in the second quarter but couldn’t sustain the hot start. Meralco scored 38 points in the first quarter but just 33 in the second half as only five Bolts tallied. CJ Cansino had 13 points in the opening period, was blanked in the second and third before contributing a free throw in the fourth. The meltdown is something Meralco will want to avoid in Game 2 tonight.

“To beat a team like TNT, you have to be solid in both offense and defense,” said Trillo. “TNT has a lot of weapons. It’s not going to be easy because guys like Oftana, Pogoy, Nambatac and Heading are very crafty and can create their own shots whether through pindowns, pick-and-rolls, dribble hand-offs or post.”

Trillo said in TNT’s OT win over Meralco in the elims, the Tropa had only three triples in the third quarter but scored 36 so it was a repeat in Game 1. “Defending them without fouling is of utmost importance,” he said. “We tried to do the same but we weren’t getting to the line like them so in the end, we just have to find ways to place points on the board. We know we’re capable but TNT is also a defensive team.”