TNT guns for quick rebound against Macau Black Knights

Games on Friday
(Smart Araneta Coliseum)
5:15 p.m. – TNT vs Macau
7:30 p.m. – Blackwater vs Ginebra

AS TNT plots for a quick bounceback against Macau on Friday in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup, coach Chot Reyes challenged the Tropang 5G to sharpen their shot making.

A team that thrives on long-range bombing, the defending champions practically fired blanks in their 92-97 loss to Converge on Wednesday night, hastening their fall.

“We cannot win if we’re shooting three out of 28, 10% from the three-point line,” Mr. Reyes rued. “The import had 70% from the two-point line, but we couldn’t get him the ball. Every time he was doubled, he passed it off and nobody could make a wide-open shot. So that’s the game.”

He noted how the usually ball-dominant Bol Bol “took his fewest shots ever” and kicked it out to the open locals against the double-teaming defense of Converge.

“Unfortunately, we have a team of shooters who cannot shoot. So that’s the problem. If we cannot make shots, then every other team is going to do what Converge did tonight,” Mr. Reyes lamented.

The Black Knights, fresh from a 119-107 breakthrough over Titan after losing their first seven assignments, could take a page from the FiberXers’ playbook when they challenge TNT in the 5:15 p.m. encounter at the Smart Ara-neta Coliseum.

“He’s been a challenge for the whole league,” said Macau coach Marcus Elliott of the 7-foot-3 Mr. Bol, the tournament’s leading scorer and shot blocker. “Interesting player, unique player, but I still like my players better.”

Meanwhile, Blackwater (2-6) seeks to ride the momentum from its massive 126-120 upset over San Miguel Beermen (SMB) as it guns for the scalp of another giant in Barangay Ginebra (5-2) at 7:30 p.m.

“It (shocker over SMB) would not get us to the quarterfinals but it’s a good start,” said Bossing coach Pat Aquino, who tasted his first W after touching off his tenure with back-to-back losses.

“It’s going to be hard for us ‘cause it’s back-to-back games against another champion and of course, my idol, Tim Cone. But we believe in what we’re doing here,” he added.

The Gin Kings (5-2) enter this tiff motivated to secure their fourth straight W, which will lift them to solo third and boost their shot at a coveted twice-to-beat incentive for the Top 4 teams in the playoffs. — Olmin Leyba