TNT Tropang 5G coach Chot Reyes was a picture of calm in the aftermath of his team’s 97-89 loss to the Meralco Bolts in Game 3 of their PBA Philippine Cup semifinals showdown. In fact, the four-time Coach of the Year appeared unfazed as he focused on one silver lining, even in the face of defeat.
“I thought our defense was not bad. We kept them to the mid-90s,” Reyes said in a postgame scrum at the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Friday night.
Indeed, defense has been part of TNT’s DNA during Reyes’s current tenure with the team, and in Game 3, it certainly had its moments. The Tropang Giga still managed to hold Meralco under 100 points, even as Chris Newsome, CJ Cansino, and Chris Banchero each scored at least 17 points.
Off Night Derails TNT, But Reyes Not Worried
While Meralco mostly led in the second half, TNT was still just seven points down, 86-79, with four minutes left in regulation. However, the Tropang Giga couldn’t muster enough offense to complete their rally, a problem that persisted all game long, especially with Calvin Oftana limited to just 6 points and Jordan Heading held scoreless in 25 minutes of action.
“Our offense was the problem,” Reyes said. “We struggled with our shooting. Jordan and Calvin were 1-of-14 combined, but that’s the way the game goes. That’s the way the ball bounces. On to the next.”
The ball certainly didn’t bounce TNT’s way in Game 3, and Oftana and Heading firing blanks repeatedly only reinforces that point. But if the ball bounced Meralco’s way on Friday, it can most definitely bounce in TNT’s favor again on Sunday, when the two teams face off in Game 4.
Game time at the Mall of Asia Arena is set for 7:30 p.m.
