June 08, 2017

Texters, Bolts dispute last Final Four seat

Three teams have made it to the Final Four and seven have taken the exit.

TNT KaTropa and Meralco determine which between the two of them complete the PBA Commissioner’s Cup semifinals cast in a knockout duel at 7 p.m. Friday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The Texters and the Bolts both brace for a grind-out match as they dispute the right to play top seed Barangay Ginebra in the best-of-five semis.

Other semis pairing pits second seed San Miguel Beer and third ranked Star.

TNT KaTropa asserted itself as the higher seed in clobbering Meralco, 102-84, on Monday then the Bolts overcame a horrific fourth-quarter meltdown to get even with a 103-100 win in overtime on Wednesday.

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“I expect a dogfight,” said Meralco coach Norman Black of the game where they have a chance at sealing another playoff battle with Ginebra. The two teams disputed the crown in the last Governors Cup.

“I expect my guys to come out and fight like they did (Wednesday). But at the same time, we know the other side is very talented and they can bounce back anytime. We’ve got to be ready,” Black pointed out.

TNT coach Nash Racela said his players must play above the physicality of the series to be able to advance to the next round.

“I think we need to be stronger than the hits. There’s a lot of time we got hit that forces us to miss. We need to be stronger than that, play about those contacts,” said Racela.

Ranidel de Ocampo returns from a one-game rest and hopes he can be of help with import Josh Smith, Jayson Castro, RR Pogoy, Kelly Williams, Troy Rosario, Ryan Reyes and the other TNT core players.

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“May iniinda ako,” said De Ocampo on why he sat out Game Two.

“May konting dinaramdam si Ranidel, but he’s coming back in Game Three. He’s okay,” said the TNT coach.

Black believes they’re still the underdog and they have to sustain the effort put up in Game Two to have a chance at winning the series.

“We have to find a way to slow them down and we have to find a way to score points. That’s been a problem for us this conference,” said Black.