TNT, Ginebra gun for 2-0 series lead against Rain or Shine, San Miguel Beermen

Games on Friday
(Ninoy Aquino Stadium)
5 p.m. – Ginebra vs San Miguel (Semis Game 2)
7:30 p.m. – Rain or Shine vs TNT (Semis Game 2)
*Ginebra, TNT lead series, 1-0

GAME 1 pretty much typified the degree of difficulty, the fierce battle for every inch of space the combatants have to go through in the PBA Philippine Cup semifinal series.

And it won’t get easier from here on out.

So for opening-match victors TNT and Barangay Ginebra, it would be a luxury if they could get an early 2-0 lead in the race-to-four against Rain or Shine (ROS) and San Miguel Beermen (SMB), respectively, Friday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium.

Both the grand slam-seeking Tropang 5G and the Gin Kings, runners-up to the former in the Governors’ and Commissioner’s Cup tournaments, overcame a lackluster start before drawing first blood two nights ago.

TNT turned to its defensive weapon and rebounding dominance to turn back ROS, 98-91, while Ginebra clawed back from 18 down to pull off a 73-71 heist versus SMB.

“We didn’t play great, we didn’t shoot great, we didn’t even really defend that great but we found a way,” said Gin Kings coach Tim Cone.

“But it’s only one game and we got to be playing better than this as the series goes for us to have a chance. But it’s nice always to get the lead in the series.

With SMB behemoth June Mar Fajardo dealing with calf issues, this could be a good opening for the Gin Kings to dig a deeper hole for their top-seeded opponents.

“We took advantage of the times that he (Fajardo) was absent on the floor to get back in Game 1. When he’s on the floor, it’s just really, really tough. And the good news is we just battled,” said Mr. Cone.

Mr. Fajardo, who scored only six points but grabbed 19 rebounds, is keeping his fingers crossed that there’s no major injury so he could help the Beermen strike back and tie it at 1-1.

Meanwhile, TNT mentor Chot Reyes said aside from holding ROS’ score to under 90 points and limiting its transition attacks, stopping the likes of Jhonard Clarito from crashing the boards continue to be a top priority in Game 2.

It’s now on the Elasto Painters to make the adjustment and prevent TNT, their old tormentor from going two-nil for the third straight F4 confrontation in Season 49. — Olmin Leyba