TNT's back is against the wall. It is battered by injuries, its morale is low, it is desperate, it is trailing 1-3 and its season and grand slam dreams may end Wedneday.
San Miguel perhaps is preparing the champagne to drench its players and coaches. But its coach Leo Austria, although optimistic of the outcome, said, perhaps thinking of the words of another coach, that it is not over till its over.
He believes that despite the hole that TNT has found itself in, there's still a big fight left in the Tropang 5G and they have to be prepared and not lapse into overconfidence as the team tries to win its 30th PBA championship.
But no matter how cautious Austria may sound, his team is far and away more superior than what TNT can offer in this match which many believe will end by day's end tomorrow.
San Miguel will be fielding a full arsenal, its players fit and eager, while TNT is saddled with injuries to its players that seemed like a never-ending curse that began when its transcendent star, the team's heart and soul -- Jayson Castro -- got injured that forced him to miss this season and probably next, too.
READ: TNT grand slam bid in jeopardy as San Miguel races to 3-1 lead
Then followed injuries to Rey Nambatac, and for a stretch RR Pogoy and Brian Heruela. If these were not enough, its top center, Poy Erram, suffered a hamstring tear while playing witn a sprained ankle and Simon Enciso followed them to the sidelines with a fractured orbital bone.
TNT coach Chot Reyes, aiming for his team's first ever grand slam, must be reaching for the heavens and asking, what they have done to deserve this fate.
READ: Chot says he couldn't ask for more from banged-up team in Game 4
Despite all that has happened to TNT, Austria was trying hard not to celebrate too soon.
“This is a championship game. We thought na si Erram will not play because of the degree ng nangyari sa kanyang sprain. But he (played). I think mahaba rin ‘yung kanyang nilaro,” said Austria, referring to Erram who played for 18 minutes last Sunday despite a badly-sprained ankle in Game 3.
“May injuries sila o wala, they keep fighting hard. Nakita naman natin. Until the last eight minutes, doon na lang kami humabol,” he added.
San Miguel put itself on the verge of a championship with a 105-91 victory over TNT last Sunday at the Mall of Asia Arena, its third straight of the series following a controversial Game 1 defeat.
Everything was clicking for the Beermen especially in the fourth quarter where they went 13-of-16 from the field, including being perfect from threes by draining all five of their attempts. In total, San Miguel made 37 of its 75 shots (49.3 percent), with TNT converting just 31 of 81 (38.3 percent).
A ploy that also paid off for San Miguel in the fourth quarter was Austria's decision to make Cjay Perez and Jericho Cruz play point guard after TNT went with a big line-up of Calvin Oftana, Poy Erram, Glenn Khobuntin, and Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser.
READ: Marcio back to his old ways after finally getting looks in Game 4
Austria sees his team focused on the task ahead.
“Only one thing ang gusto kong i-appreciate sa kanila. Everybody wants to win. Talagang naka-focus sila. Nandoon ‘yung sense of urgency.
“’Yan ang nakikita ng marami na kumpleto kaming team. (But) there is a lot to improve from our team. That’s the thinking of the management and coaching staff. We have to keep on improving. We can’t settle for this performance. We have to excel in some departments. That’s how we compete. You keep on learning every day,” said Austria.
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