TNT targets quarters twice-to-beat
TNT KaTropa shoots for a twice-tobeat advantage in the quarterfinals when it battles Barangay Ginebra San Miguel at 7 p.m. tonight in Season 44 Philippine Basketball Association Governors’ Cup at the Araneta Coliseum.
Rookie Bobby Ray Parks Jr., which TNT acquired via trade from Blackwater will also make his debut tonight with the KaTropa.
“Excited to see how we play. Ray is going to be good for us. It’s more about how we play as a team. It is very fortunate to get Ray but we gave up a lot in Don (Trollano) and Tony (Semerad),” said TNT coach Bong Ravena, pertaining to the two players he traded for Parks.
Parks is averaging 20.1 points, 5.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists in nine games.
TNT lost, 113-126, to Northern Luzon Expressway last week. The Road Warriors and the KaTropa are now sharing the top spot with similar 7-1 win-loss records.
“We’ve won so many games the last three conferences that it is human nature for complacency to start to set in. We have to go back to being the team that hustles our opponents,” he added. “It’s a challenge for both of us. We are both coming from a loss. We should stay focused and play as a team.”
Besides Parks, Troy Rosario, Roger Pogoy and import KJ McDaniels are expected to step up for TNT.
Ginebra (5-3) seeks to tie San Miguel Beer at No. 4 after a 77-101 loss to Meralco last Sunday.
Meanwhile, No. 3 Meralco (6-2) aims to extend its winning run to four games when it clashes against Columbian Dyip (4-5) in the 4:30 p.m. game.
A victory will allow Meralco to stay at No. 3 spot and in contention for a twice-to-beat advantage.
Columbian Dyip, however, wants a fifth win that will formalize its entry to the quarterfinal.