GAME HIGHLIGHTS
FULL GAME REPLAY
As the PBA Philippine Cup continues to unfold, all eyes turn to the Smart Araneta Coliseum on Wednesday, where the TNT Tropang Giga make their much-anticipated conference debut against a warmed-up NLEX Road Warriors squad. On paper, NLEX may appear to hold a momentum advantage after already playing two games, including a win in their latest outing. But veteran tactician Jong Uichico isn’t buying into that narrative just yet.
Chemistry Over Conditioning
Despite being idle since their Commissioner’s Cup championship run that ended March 28, TNT is hardly being counted out—especially not by NLEX’s own coach. Uichico was quick to acknowledge the innate chemistry within the TNT roster, which has largely remained intact through multiple successful campaigns.
“They’ve been together for so long, alam na nila isa’t isa,” Uichico emphasized, referring to TNT’s cohesion. “Sana medyo wala pa sila sa kondisyon, pero still ‘yung chemistry nila, tsaka ‘yung pagsasamahan nila ng pagkatagal-tagal na.”
That chemistry has helped the Tropang Giga clinch the first two conferences of the season, placing them in prime position to chase a rare PBA Grand Slam—a feat only a few teams in league history have achieved.
A Cautious Start for TNT
TNT head coach Chot Reyes remains cautiously optimistic heading into their season debut. Having only resumed practice two Mondays ago, Reyes admitted there’s a gap between preparation and actual in-game sharpness.
“We’ve had good practices pero hard to tell. Iba naman kasi practice sa laro,” Reyes said. “Normally pagka ganyan, we’d have tuneup games. Pero wala, eh, dahil nag-start kaming mag-practice umpisa na rin liga, eh.”
This isn’t unfamiliar territory for Reyes and TNT, though. In the previous conference, they also got off to a rocky start with back-to-back losses due to similar scheduling issues.
“Kasi ganu’ng-ganoon din, eh,” Reyes explained. “We started practice late, walang tuneup games, sabak na kaagad.”
Missing Pieces and New Faces
One major difference this time around is the absence of TNT’s star import, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, who was instrumental in their recent championship run. Also sidelined is long-time team captain and point guard Jayson Castro, nursing an injury.
To help fill the void, TNT has acquired Simon Enciso from free agency. Though familiar with many on the roster, Enciso faces a transition as he adapts to Reyes’ system—a system he has yet to fully operate within.
“Very minimal adjustment lang para sa kanya since kilala na naman niya mga kasama niya,” Reyes noted. “But I wasn’t the coach yet so ibang-iba mga ginagawa. I’m sure he will struggle a bit… but he’s a smart player, he works hard.”
NLEX’s Tactical Focus
Coach Uichico knows that dealing with TNT’s offensive arsenal will require a comprehensive defensive effort. He highlighted the team’s potent three-point shooting as a major concern.
“Three-point shooting ng TNT talagang ang bigat. That is something that all teams are worried about,” Uichico admitted. “(Calvin) Oftana, (Roger) Pogoy, (Rey) Nambatac, (Glenn) Khobuntin, nandiyan pa Enciso. Many capable of shooting and scoring.”
The challenge, Uichico says, is that stopping one or two threats won’t suffice. “It has to be a team effort,” he said.
Still, the Road Warriors aren’t backing down. “Of course, we will always find a way,” Uichico asserted. “Ganyan naman talaga trabaho natin, pinpointing the problem and finding ways to remedy that.”
A Game of Strategy and Grit
As TNT and NLEX prepare to clash, the game promises to be more than just a test of skill—it’s a test of strategy, timing, and resilience. While TNT banks on their deep chemistry and championship pedigree, NLEX counters with game-readiness and tactical adaptability.
With the Grand Slam dream on the line for TNT and early-season confidence at stake for NLEX, this showdown might just set the tone for the rest of the Philippine Cup.