TNT’s goal of getting a twice-to-beat advantage in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup hit a major road block on Friday after a 100-97 overtime stunner from Phoenix Super LPG at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The loss enabled the Fuel Masters to tie the Tropang 5G at fifth and sixth place with a 6-4 record, just behind Meralco's 5-3 record.
A Bolts loss to Barangay Ginebra in the Friday nightcap would give TNT a lifeline, putting the squad right back in the thick of things in the race to fourth, but in the mind of coach Chot Reyes – they might as well expect to end up as a low seed with this loss.
READ: Phoenix Super LPG stuns TNT in OT on Tyler Tio's last-gasp trey
“Wala na. We have to be prepared to beat somebody twice,” Reyes told reporters after the loss. “Andun na yung mindset namin na we have to be ready to beat somebody twice.”
The good news is that the Tropang 5G still control their fate, though they have a tough final two games ahead, starting with playoff-seeking Magnolia on Tuesday at the Ninoy Aquino Stadium before wrapping up their schedule against Barangay Ginebra on May 10 at the Mall of Asia Arena.
Still, it wouldn’t have been that complicated for the Tropang 5G had they taken care of business against the Fuelmasters, who were still in the process of breaking-in returning import Johnathan Williams – a guy who just arrived in the country on Thursday.
For Reyes, the loss ultimately came down to one thing – bad decision making for his squad.
“That was five straight possessions our import didn’t touch the ball. Bad decision after bad decision. When that happened, we paid the price. For some reason we just didn’t make good decisions on the court,” he said.
“In the end, our three point shooter [Jordan Heading] missed two open threes and his man hit the three, Rivero. And that was the difference.”
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