2-0 TARGET NG ‘TROPA’, HOTSHOTS

Pba game 3

Mga laro ngayon:

DHVSU Gym, Bacolor, Pampanga

3 p.m. – TnT vs San Miguel

6 p.m. – Magnolia vs Meralco

TATANGKAIN ng TnT Tropang Giga at ng Magnolia Hotshots na makopo ang ikalawang sunod na panalo sa magkahiwalay na laro sa Game 2 ng PBA Philippine Cup semifinals ngayong Miyerkoles sa Don Honorio Ventura State U Gym sa Bacolor, Pampanga.

Nakatakda ang TNT-San Miguel Beer face-off sa alas-3 ng hapon na susundan ng salpukan ng Magnolia at Meralco sa alas-6 ng gabi.

Wala si Kelly Williams, ipinakita ng Tropang Giga kung bakit sila ang top seeds nang maitakas ang , 89-88 panalo noong Linggo.

“It was just all effort. I think the key was us believing we could win despite the absence of Kelly. The guys believed and it showed in the way they played,” sabi ni TNT coach Chot Reyes sa ipinakita ng kanyang tropa.

Kasabay nito, kumbinsido ang Tropang Giga na pahirap nang pahirap ang kanilang gawain lalo na’t hindi pa nila makakasama si Williams.

“There’s no one person who can fill the shoes of Kelly Williams – those are such big shoes – but everybody does a little bit extra in rebounding and defending inside,” ani Reyes.

Ikinatuwa naman ng TNT bench chieftain ang ipinakita ng kanyang tropa laban kay San Miguel Beer behemoth June Mar Fajardo.

“It was a hell of an effort by the bigs without our starting big man to just stay with June Mar Fajardo. No one can stop June Mar. What we can do is stay with him and continue to do our best and see what happens,” aniya.

Samantala, target ng Magnolia na masundan ang 88-79 panalo sa opener ng best-of-seven duel noong Linggo, ngunit batid ni Chito Victolero na hindi ito magiging madali.

“It’s always a tough game, always a dogfight. Both teams naman may pride iyan saka they have a system also, they are a deep team also. Kumbaga, duguan bago ka maka-score,” ani Victolero.

“So it’s all about the discipline and execution. Nakita n’yo naman from start to finish close game. So siguro sa dulo lang magka-katalo talaga,” dagdag ni Victolero.

Tumipa si Ian Sangalang ng 18 points at  8 rebounds habang nagdagdag si Paul Lee ng 17 points, ngunit si Calvin Abueva ang naging tuntungan ng Hotshots para maitakas ang panalo nang magbuhos siya ng 8 points at gumawa ng 2 steals na nagsindi at nagpanatili sa kanilang fourth quarter surge mula sa 63-69 deficit.

Ang mapigilan ang main scorers ng Magnolia ang top priority ng Meralco, kasama ang pagpapaigting sa opensa na paunang ipinakita nina Bong Quinto, Anjo Caram, Mac Belo at Reynel Hugnatan. CLYDE MARIANO

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