Ginebra vs. TNT III is all set.
And all ready, the two opposing coaches—Tim Cone for Barangay Ginebra San Miguel and Chot Reyes of TNT Tropang Giga—are getting right down to it. In fact, they know fully what the key to victory is for their respective squads.
Depth Could Decide Ginebra vs. TNT—Cone
For Cone, the key to Ginebra avenging two straight PBA Governors’ Cup Finals losses is their added depth. Both times, the crowd favorites were missing a key player or two, with LA Tenorio missing the 2023 PBA Governors’ Cup Finals that TNT won, 4-2, and Jamie Malonzo and Jeremiah Gray sidelined in the Ginebra vs. TNT rematch last conference.
Now, Cone will have a full compliment of players. Malonzo and Gray are back in the lineup, while RJ Abarrientos has replaced LA Tenorio. Ginebra also added the 6-foot-7 Troy Rosario into the mix.
“We’re coming into this series with a lot more depth than we had the last time we played them. I think that’s gonna be a big factor for us—just the idea that we have a little bit more depth and length than we had in the last series,” Cone told reporters in the PBA’s pre-Finals press conference held on Monday at Kamay Kainan in Quezon City.
That length—courtesy of Malonzo, Rosario, and Gray—will come in handy against Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, the indefatigable TNT import who has proven to be a huge thorn on the side of Ginebra in both Ginebra vs. TNT Finals. With Malonzo, Rosario, and Gray, Cone will have three more active bodies to throw at the Best Import shoo-in to maybe tire him out and contain him some.
Playing Well Without Jayson Castro to Determine TNT’s Fate—Reyes
For Reyes, TNT’s chances hinge on how well they would play without Jayson Castro, one of the PBA’s all-time greats and the MVP of last conference’s Finals.
“Our ability to play at a high level without Jayson [will be key]. He was the last Finals MVP, so taking that piece away is going to be a telling factor,” Reyes said in the same presser. “Having said that, the other players that we have, we’re not gonna sell them short because they showed in the last series how well they can play even without Jayson. But I’d be lying if we don’t admit it won’t be a big factor.”
Castro is expected to be out for 8–12 months after suffering a full thickness patellar tendon tear in his right knee in TNT’s Game 2 victory over the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in the semis. The Tropa looked to be reeling after losing Game 3, their first without their heart and soul, but closed the series out with back-to-back victories.
Those “other players” Reyes alluded to stepped up big time, with Rey Nambatac, Calvin Oftana, RR Pogoy, and Kim Aurin combining for 69 points in Game 4 and 37 in Game 5. Reyes will be looking for the same production and more from everyone not named Jayson Castro if the Tropa will stand a chance against Ginebra this time around.
The Ginebra vs. TNT trilogy will begin on Friday at the Mall of Asia Arena. Game time is at 7:30 p.m.
