TNT TROUBLED
Rampaging Ginebra guns for 2-0 lead
Game today: (AUF Arena) 6:00 p.m. — Ginebra vs TNT
CLARK — With a limping superstar to manage and a rampaging foe to contend, TNT Tropang Giga has do its best to gain the equalizer when it clashes with Barangay Ginebra San Miguel in Game 2 of their Philippine Basketball Association ( PBA) Philippine Cup best- of- seven finals series Wednesday at the Angeles University Foundation ( AUF) Arena here.
Game time is at 6 p. m. with the Tropang Giga looking to level the series despite the doubtful status of star player, Ray Parks, who suffered a lef t calf strain in their 94- 100 loss in Game 1 of the finale of this historic season.
Somebody really has to step up, or else, we will be in trouble.
Parks, the Filipino- American guard, has been the heart and soul of the Tropang Giga.
He is leading the Most Valuable Player derby with averages of 22.5 points, 8.1 rebounds, 3.1 assists and 1.3 steals per game, making it very dif ficult for the vaunted offensive machine of TNT head coach Bong Ravena to run in full throttle if ever he sits out in this crucial match. Ravena, who is being assisted by active consultant Mark Dickel of New Zealand, admitted that playing without Parks would be tough and other players like Roger Pogoy, Jayson Castro, Poy Erram and Troy Rosario have to step up if they want to stay in the hunt for the all- Filipino crown.
“Somebody really has to step up, or else, we will be in trouble,” said Ravena, who drew 20 points, five steals, four rebounds, four assists and two blocks from the son of Bobby Ray Parks, a seven-time PBA Best Import awardee, in Game 1.
“Ray is really doubtful to play on Wednesday and we know that he’s a big factor for our team. Now, we have to adjust big time. We better be on our toes in Game 2.”
True enough, the Tropang Giga are in limbo. Led by 22- time PBA champion Tim Cone, the Kings were at their best in the opening match of the series.
Japeth Aguilar soared with 25 points and 16 rebounds while Stanley Pringle registered 24 points, seven rebounds and seven assists to form a dreaded one- two punch for Ginebra.
Scottie Thompson and rookie Arvin Tolentino also chipped in significant numbers, delivering 15 and 14 points, respectively, prompting the Tropang Giga to stretch their defense that gave the Ginebra main gunners a bigger room to operate.
We better be on our toes in Game 2.
But the star of the show was LA Tenorio. The playmaker from Ateneo de Manila University made crucial plays in overtime before finishing with 12 points and 10 assists without a single turnover to push Ginebra closer to its first Philippine Cup title in 13 years.
Seeing the vulnerability of the Tropang Giga in the early stretch of the series, Cone said they should not take their sweet time and go for the kill.
“We had a ping- pong series against Meralco in the semifinals. Hopefully, we can break the pattern here against TNT,” said Cone, whose wards flirted with disaster before escaping the Bolts in the Final Four.
“That’s our goal. We’re going to break that pattern and get a couple of good games together to finally win
the championship.”