BOTH TEAMS are ready for the Philippine Cup Finals, as ArenaPlus, the country’s most trusted name in sports betting, presented the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Finals Press Conference held last Friday in Pasig City.
The clash between the San Miguel Beermen and TNT Tropang 5G is expected to be a phenomenal one, as both teams are highly motivated to become the cup finals champion this year.
SMB hopes to redeem themselves after a runner-up finish in the 2024 Philippine Cup, while TNT is eyeing a grand slam victory after winning the Governor’s Cup and Commissioner’s Cup this 49th season of the PBA.
Still, Beermen’s veteran tactician, coach Leo Austria, said that their goal is not to be a roadblock to TNT’s grand slam attempt but rather to emerge as the Philippine Cup champions.
“We’re not here to stop their ambition. We’re here to win games and eventually win the championship.”
Tale of the injuries
Even after reaching the finals, TNT had to dig deep. Injuries continued to haunt them-a lingering nightmare that first hit hard during their semis clash with the Rain or Shine Elastopainters.
They’ll be without key veterans such as Jayson Castro, Rey Nambatac, and Kelly Williams. RR Pogoy and Calvin Oftana are also battling nagging hamstring and ankle injuries.
Nevertheless, head coach Chot Reyes remains optimistic. For him, it’s TNT’s grit and mindset that could carry them through the toughest stretch of the season.
“The adversity that we went through is really testament to the fighting spirit of the players. They just refused to give up. Ayaw talaga bumigay eh,” said Reyes.
“So sinasabi namin palagi sa team namin, as long as you keep fighting, then you’ll give yourself a chance. And now we’re here. We’ve given ourselves a chance. We know napakalakas ang kalaban namin with all of our injuries as well. But we will just do what we’ve been doing the whole conference. Keep fighting and just trying to give ourselves a chance,” Reyes added.
Not a walk in the park
Despite their advantage over TNT, SMB refuses to let their guard down, knowing that even through adversity, Tropang 5G managed to make it to the cup finals.
“Regarding their situation, there are so many injured players, and that’s not really a question for me because the mere fact that they are in the finals in spite of those adversaries shows they are really competitive,” coach Leo explained.
Sino ang mas astig?
The PBA Philippine Cup finals are a treat for the basketball community. ArenaPlus, together with SMB and TNT, is geared up to give the best experience possible. Who will reign as the astig of them all? We’ll soon find out.
Watch games 1, 2, and 3 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on July 13, 16, and 18 and game 4 on July 20 at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City. (PR)
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