The TNT Tropang 5G have a Herculean task ahead of them if they want to win the PBA Philippine Cup. That is the blunt assessment of Chot Reyes ahead of TNT’s rematch with the San Miguel Beermen for All-Filipino supremacy.
“To be very honest, in the semifinals, liyamado kami,” Reyes said in the latest episode of former PBA commissioner Noli Eala’s Power and Play. “But in this coming series, I think, hands down, we’re the underdog.”
The semis saw TNT take care of business against the Meralco Bolts in five games, finishing things off in near-miraculous fashion with a last-minute rally in Game 5. Against San Miguel, however, Reyes knows his team has its work cut out.
A Loaded San Miguel Squad Is a Challenge Even for TNT
June Mar Fajardo is obviously a big reason San Miguel appears to be the favorite to win this title series. But for Reyes, the Beermen are more than just The Kraken.
“That’s why San Miguel dominates the All-Filipino. They dominate it not only because of June Mar, who’s a hell of a player, but because they’ve surrounded him with the right players,” Reyes pointed out. “CJay Perez, ang taas ng nilalaro ni Chris Ross. We all know the abilities of Marcio [Lassiter]. And then in the last Finals, ang pumatay talaga sa ’min is ’yung second unit. That gives you an idea of the enormity of the task in front of us.”
That second unit, otherwise known as San Miguel’s famed bench mob, is led by the Martilyo Bros of Don Trollano and Jericho Cruz, who both had strong showings the last time TNT and San Miguel met in the PBA Philippine Cup Finals. In fact, Cruz was adjudged Finals MVP of that series after averaging 13.8 points, 3.3 rebounds, and 3.3 assists.
It is an enormous task, indeed, to beat San Miguel four times in a series. But, as Reyes also pointed out in the same show, he is used to big challenges already. Expect him to get his Tropa ready for the massive task ahead.
