TNT hitting partitions with out RHJ; Meralco rues neglected alternative

Calvin Oftana (heart): Bright spot. —PBA IMAGES

Grand Slam-seeking TNT and protecting champion Meralco are stuck in tight spots at this level of the PBA Philippine Cup.

The Tropang 5G, who want to defy the ones doubting their possibilities of taking the all-Filipino with out Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, have executed simply the other, slipping to a 0-2 get started following Sunday’s 100-94 loss to the Converge FiberXers in Antipolo City.

“We’re coming from two conferences playing with Rondae, so honestly we’re really adjusting without him,” admitted RR Pogoy in Filipino. “Before, he was always there on defense and he’s always there to clean up the boards so we’re really making a lot of adjustments.”

Meralco, now at the halfway level of the eliminations, is coping with a 2-3 win-loss slate after shedding its 3rd instantly recreation on Sunday, a high-scoring 128-116 defeat to Rain or Shine.

Chris Newsome performed simply 27 mins and used to be held to simply 3 issues on 1-of-6 capturing, even though he had 4 rebounds and 7 assists. But issues of his health may well be a very powerful within the Bolts’ probabilities after the famous person used to be slowed down with cramps all through the competition.

“Anytime you’re on a losing streak, it doesn’t feel good,” Newsome instructed The Inquirer. “You want that good start to get to the playoffs early before the teams that are in the Finals and the semifinals get back into the mix. [And] we missed that opportunity.”

TNT misplaced, 91-74, to NLEX final Wednesday at Smart Araneta Coliseum, then fell in the back of by means of 22 towards a taller Converge squad that noticed Justin Arana and rookie Justine Baltazar every produce a double-double.

Phoenix on Friday

But if there’s slightly of shining mild, TNT can hang used to be how it carried out in the second one part when the Converge lead shrank to 6 in the back of Pogoy, plus bits from Poy Erram and Kelly Williams, and the capturing of Calvin Oftana, who completed with 33.

“We came into the NLEX game without any tuneup games so we expected that we would struggle,” Pogoy mentioned. “We didn’t expect to play like this against Converge, but I felt that in the second half we finally got a feel of how we want to play.”

Like within the earlier convention, TNT misplaced its first two video games. But then, a six-game successful streak adopted swimsuit on its strategy to the name. The probability to copy that begins Friday towards Phoenix in Montalban, Rizal, earlier than going through San Miguel Beer, on a robust 3-1 document, two nights later in Antipolo.

Meralco, in the meantime, has an extended ruin earlier than going through NorthPort on May 9 in what Newsome and corporate hope could be a excellent stretch within the again finish of the eliminations.

“This [slump] is something that we have to fight through and it shows that we have so much left to work on,” Newsome mentioned. “Of course, we’re the defending champions so everybody has their target on us and that is to be expected. So it’s on us to make the adjustments and continue to fight back.” INQ