Games on Friday
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
5 p.m. – TNT vs Rain or Shine (Semis Game 5)*
7:30 p.m. – San Miguel vs Ginebra (Semis Game 5)**
*TNT leads series, 3-1
**Series tied, 2-2
WITH injury problems worsening by the day, it will be useful for grand slam-targeting TNT to wrap up the PBA Philippine Cup semifinal duel with Rain or Shine (ROS) as soon as possible.
If they might seal the deal in Friday’s Game 5, this may give the Tropang Giga’s limping stalwarts extra recovery time before the Finals with the opposite race-to-four series between San Miguel Beermen (SMB) and Barangay Ginebra stretched to a sixth match on Sunday with the potential to even go to a sudden death on Wednesday.
TNT star Calvin Oftana, who himself is now a member of the team’s walking wounded club as he sprained left and right ankles individually within the 108-92 romp last Wednesday that gave them a commanding 3-1 lead.
Mr. Oftana insisted he’s able to play through pain, especially with RR Pogoy (hamstring) and Kelly Williams (ankle sprain) similarly “doubtful” for his or her closeout attempt at 5 p.m. on the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
But in fact it will all depend upon the status of Mr. Oftana’s ankles, which began to swell after the sport, minutes before they hit the court.
With or without the troika, though, coach Chot Reyes stays confident the “healthy” ones would rise to the occasion as shown by how they previously handled the exits of playmakers Jayson Castro (knee) and Rey Nambatac (hip) to injuries.
“We lost Kelly (in Game 4), Calvin as well. But just because it’s been since Day One, not only this conference, but your complete season, it’s just whoever we have now, next man up,” said Mr. Reyes. “So for me going into the following game, my only concern is who do we have now and the way can I make best use out of whoever it’s that we have now left.”
Mr. Reyes expects ROS to fight like hell to avoid a 3rd straight 1-4 semis defeat to TNT this season.
“They’re fiddling with numerous urgency. Credit to teach Yeng (Guiao). They’re making great adjustments and he’s getting his guys to play really hard. So we have now to not only match but additionally overcome that. They’re going to come back out with their hardest effort yet on this series so we have now to be ready.”
Meanwhile, SMB and Ginebra break a 2-2 tie at 7:30 p.m.
The Beermen, with June Mar Fajardo getting closer to full power after a calf injury, forced the Gin Kings to a stalemate with an emphatic 107-82 equalizer in Game 4. — Olmin Leyba