By Paolo Castro
Title holders of the last two conferences – TNT Tropang 5G – and perennial Philippine Cup champion San Miguel Beer begin their best of seven finals series on Sunday night with both teams looking to get a good head-start in their quest for the coveted title.
TNT defeated Rain or Shine in their semifinal series in six games while the Beermen needed to go through a do-or-die Game 7 against Barangay Ginebra in their own semis series to book a spot in the finals.
Both teams expect the series to be a long one, with their squads stacked with talent and experience.
Injuries a cause for concern
How healthy the two squads will be could also be a deciding factor with a couple of TNT veterans – Roger Pogoy and Kelly Williams – unable to finish the previous round due to injuries.
Latest reports note that Pogoy is day-to-day while Williams may not be available at least at the start of the series.
The two players will be crucial in the finals and expect them to play at some point if they get a go-signal from team doctors.
TNT is coming off almost a week of rest, which augurs well for those nursing injuries.
The Beermen had a shorter break after their Wednesday win and one area of concern will be mainman June Mar Fajardo’s calf injury.
He played all seven games in the semifinals but was definitely not 100%. He also suffered some tightness in his hamstring in the Game 7 match but reports said it will be a non-issue moving forward.
The extra days of rest will surely help Fajardo recover in time for the championship round.
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Chasing history
An extra motivation for the Tropang 5G will surely be the chance for a grand slam after winning the first two conferences with import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson.
They will be up against SMB – a franchise that also achieved the same feat back in 1989.
Curiously, the TNT franchise also came close to a grand slam in 2011 but San Miguel, then carrying the name Petron Blaze, spoiled their bid after winning the third conference.
TNT coach Chot Reyes, however, is not dwelling on that or the grand slam itself, stressing that their main focus is Game 1 of the finals and preparing as hard as they can for that game.
Reclaiming glory
For the Beermen, the march to the finals is a fitting bounce back for the team after missing the entire playoffs last conference as they made several import changes that did not produce the desired results.
Winning the Philippine Cup title will also be a chance to reclaim their lost glory after losing in the finals last year against Meralco.
Coach Leo Austria has shrugged off the notion of aiming to stop another grand slam bid by TNT, pointing out that the mission is to win the championship and bring the trophy back to San Miguel.
The Beermen have won the Philippine Cup six times in the last nine years.
The player match-ups will surely be a sight to behold and basketball fans should expect a thrilling encounter from the two powerhouse teams, who play contrasting styles on both ends of the floor.
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