Friday’s game
(Smart Araneta Stadium)
5pm – TNT vs Rain or Shine (5 halftime game)*
7:30 PM – San Miguel vs. Ginebra (5 halftime match)**
*TNT Leads Series, 3-1
** Series, 2-2
As the injury issues worsen, it would be beneficial to combine the PBA Philippine Cup semifinals with Rain or Glitter (ROS) against the Grand Slam.
If they can reach a deal in Game 5 on Friday, this will give Tropang Giga’s Limping Stalwarts an additional recovery time with another match between San Miguel Beermen (SMB) (SMB) and Barangay Ginebra before the final and extending to Game 6 on Sunday, possibly even a sudden death on Wednesday.
TNT star Calvin oftana himself is now a member of the club that the team suffered a walking injury as he sprained his left and right ankles in a 108-92 friction last Wednesday, giving them a 3-1 lead.
Mr. Ostana insists he is ready for pain, especially in the case of RR Pogoy (hamstring) and Kelly Williams (ankle sprain), who are equally “skeptical” as they tried the ending attempt at 5 p.m. at the Smart Araneta Stadium.
But, of course, it all depends on the condition of Mr Oftana’s ankle, who started to swell a few minutes after the game.
Yet, with or without the troika, Coach Chot Reyes is still confident that the “healthy” people will rise up the occasion, as they previously handled the exits of organizers Jayson Castro (Knee) and Rey Nambatac.
“We also lost Kelly (Game 4), and Calvin lost Calvin, too. But like since day one, not only this meeting, but the whole season, we only have anyone we have, the next man,” Mr Reyes said. “So the only thing I care about when I go into the next game is who we have and how I best use the people we have.”
Mr. Reyes hopes Ross fights like hell to avoid his third straight 1-4 half loss this season.
“They have to play an urgent role. The honor for coach Yen (Guiao). They are making good adjustments and he makes his guys play very hard. So we have to not only match, but we have to overcome that. They will do their best, but in this series, we have to be prepared.”
Meanwhile, SMB and Ginebra broke 2-2 ties at 7:30 pm
After Beermen’s injury to the Mavericks, June’s Mayfajardo was getting closer and closer to full force, forcing Gin to stalemate with a highlighted 107-82 equalization in Game 4. Olmin Leyba
