COACH Jojo Lastimosa of eliminations pacesetter TNT wants his charges to make short work of eighth-seed Phoenix.
“That’s the grand plan (beat Phoenix in one game). But for me, personally, we have to be also prepared for anything. Kumbaga, hope for the best, prepare for the worst,” Lastimosa said.
“We need to approach this like any other game, malakas man sila o mahina. The only difference is, this is the quarterfinals,” he added.
Whether the Tropang Giga can get the job done will be known when they take on the Fuel Masters today in their quarterfinals battle in the PBA Governors’ Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The curtain-raiser is set at 3 p.m., with TNT keen on not wasting its twice-to-beat advantage– the price for winding up as top seed after the eliminations with a 10-1 mark that included a 114-105 victory over defending champion Ginebra five days ago.
No. 4 Meralco, also armed with a win-once incentive, clashes with fifth-ranked Magnolia at 5:45 p.m.
Lastimosa is convinced Phoenix, which finished the eliminations with a 4-7 slate, will give the Tropang Giga fits.
“Phoenix. . . it’s always their defense. They try to get you uncomfortable by playing their defense. Of course, we also have to watch out for their shooters, sila Tyler (Tio), RR (Garcia), RJ Jazul and si Jason (Perkins) who can play inside-outside,” Lastimosa said.
“Of course, si (Du’vaughn) Maxwell, who is unselfish and fits the system of coach Jamike (Jarin) and then (Encho) Serrano, who is their spark off the bench. We have to make sure that Serrano does not gain a rhythm against us.”
Import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, Mikey Williams, Roger Pogoy, Jayson Castro, Kelly Williams, and Calvin Oftana are expected to step up and lead TNT’s bid to forge a best-of-5 semifinals showdown with the winner of the Bolts-Hotshots series.
“May mga beterano kami, sila Jayson (Castro), Kelly (Williams), Roger (Pogoy). They’ve been around,” Lastimosa said. “It’s a luxury that I have those guys.”
The Fuel Masters will bank on reinforcement Maxwell, Tio, Jazul, Perkins, and Javee Mocon.
Meralco will go into the tiff on a high, having scored a 92-86 triumph over Phoenix in its last elims outing last March 5 to end up with a 7-4 card, the same record that Magnolia and NLEX had.
The Bolts gained the fourth seed due to a better quotient.
Import KJ McDaniels, Allein Maliksi, Bong Quinto, Raymond Almazan, Cliff Hodge, Chris Banchero, Aaron Black, and Chris Newsome will be counted upon by Meralco.
