TNT faces its toughest test yet in the PBA Philippine Cup against San Miguel while Magnolia seeks to keep its hold of the solo lead on Sunday in a doubleheader at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.
The Tropang 5G and Beermen battle each other in the main game of a marquee matchup, which follows the tussle between the streaking Hotshots and the skidding Terrafirma Dyip.
Here’s a preview of the Antipolo games below:
MAGNOLIA versus TERRAFIRMA
When: Sunday (May 4), 5:00 p.m.
Where: Ynares Center, Antipolo
It’s been a week since the Hotshots blew away the Phoenix Fuel Masters in the first out-of-town foray in the conference in Zamboanga City.
The seven-day break though, isn’t expected to slow down the 4-0 Hotshots, who are heavily favored to roll past the 1-3 Dyip.
Magnolia’s young guns of Zav Lucero, Jerom Lastimosa, and Peter Alfaro have blended well so far with veterans Ian Sangalang, Mark Barroca, and Paul Lee that allowed the Hotshots to become the only unbeaten team thus far.
Not unless the team becomes overconfident, Magnolia is expected to cruise past a Terrafirma side that has lost its last three games by an average margin of 27 points.
The Dyip have not seen action for almost two weeks, or since absorbing a 101-80 loss to Ginebra.
It has been all downhill for the Dyip since winning their first game in the tournament against Phoenix, 95-87.
It didn’t help any either that the franchise has been put on sale at the start of the All-Filipino conference, initially finding an interested buyer in Starhorse Shipping Lines, and then lately, the Zamboanga Valientes team.
SAN MIGUEL versus TNT
When: Sunday (May 4), 7:30 p.m.
Where: Ynares Center, Antipolo
The Beermen are looking to stretch the Tropang 5G’s woes as the two teams that battled for the all-Filipino crown two years ago cross paths again.
Fresh from a huge 104-93 domination of Ginebra, San Miguel (3-1) is naturally on a high going to the game against a TNT side that’s still trying to find an answer for the 0-3 start that hit the team.
For the Tropang 5G, it’s not exactly the proper way to kick off its bid for a rare grand slam.
READ Chot unsure if 'Grand Slam' pressure's getting to TNT
And meeting San Miguel just two days after absorbing a 95-81 stunner against Phoenix put an even heavier burden to a team that has won back-to-back championships in the last six months.
TNT obviously has began to miss the playmaking skills of injured veteran guard Jayson Castro, prompting coach Chot Reyes to say the Tropang 5G is not playing ‘good team basketball.’
And the bad news for TNT?
After San Miguel, still waiting in the horizons are the likes of Rain or Shine, defending champion Meralco, Barangay Ginebra, and league leader Magnolia.
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