AS FAR as TNT coach Bong Ravena is concerned, their Game Three victory would mean nothing if they can’t bring the same tenacity into Game Four and even the series in the PBA Philippine Cup Finals to-night, December 6, at the Angeles University Foundation Sports and Cultural Center in Angeles, Pampanga.
“We won this game, but … nothing actually happened since we are still trailing [behind]. We only have one win, and they have two,” said Ravena in Filipino after Tropang Giga’s 88-67, Game Three win over the Ginebra Gin Kings last Friday.
Barangay Ginebra is still leading the best-of-seven slugfest, 2-1.
The Tropang Giga, behind Jayson Castro, Roger Pogoy and Poy Erram, seek to even the series while Ginebra, led by Scottie Thompson, Japeth Aguilar, LA Tenorio and Stanley Pringle, aims to establish a commanding 3-1 lead.
TNT clamped down on Ginebra’s scorers to notch its first win against the Gin Kings in the PBA bubble.
TNT did a fine job of limiting Ginebra’s main gunner Pringle to 11 points on a poor 4-of-14 shooting from the field.
“We know the capabilities of Ginebra, and we have to be consistent in our defense. If we can limit Stanley (Pringle) malaking bagay na sa amin ‘yun (it would be a huge deal for us). I just hope matuloy namin ang ganitong laro (we can sustain this kind of game),” said Ravena, adding, “We need to stick to our roles. Kung ganun lang gagawin namin (that’s all we need to do), we have a big chance to win.”
TNT played with a sense of urgency in Game Three, dictating the tempo as early as the second period, posting 23 points and limiting the Gin Kings to only eight markers.
In the third quarter, Ginebra moved to within two points, 54-56, after the driving layup of LA Tenorio with 2:52 left on the clock.
But TNT responded with a 10-2 blitz to sustain its double-figure lead into the final quarter, 66-56.
Pogoy registered a team-high 18 points, including six steals, six rebounds and three dimes while veter-an guard Castro submitted a double-double of 15 markers and 10 assists.
Troy Rosario also posted 15 points from an efficient 7-of-9 shooting clip while Erram finished with 12 points, 14 rebounds, three dimes and two blocks.
Among the Gin Kings, it was only Pringle (11), Tenorio (19) and Aguilar (15) that scored in double fig-ures.
The league’s winningest coach, Tim Cone, is expected to adopt adjustments for Ginebra to arrest the onslaught of TNT.
The Gin Kings are pinning their hopes on do-it-all guard Thompson, prolific scorer Pringle, and bench guys Jared Dillinger, Prince Caperal and Jeff Chan.
Ray Parks Jr., TNT’s top scorer and the leading candidate for PBA’s individual award this season, is likely to return in Game 4. Parks missed Games 2 and 3 due to a calf strain.
Meanwhile, the Philippine Basketball Association has announced the opening of Season 46 PBA Rookie Draft.
The applications will be made available on Monday, Dec. 7, 2020, at the PBA Office. Deadline of sub-mission is on Jan. 27, 2021. The PBA Rookie Draft will happen on March 14.