TNT decided to forget all things basketball Monday.
It was a break nearly everyone said was what the team needed after a tumultuous Game 5 in the Commissioner's Cup Finals where it lost to Barangay Ginebra and had one of its stars engaged in a verbal skirmish with coach Chot Reyes.
There was also the news, which SPIN.ph's Gerry Ramos shared, that TNT import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson is nursing a pulled hamstring which he suffered as early as the semifinals, so a one-day rest might help straighten out some issues and cool some hot heads.
READ Is there something bothering RHJ in PBA Finals?
The main one being the kerfuffle between Reyes and his star center Poy Erram that has unfortunately played out in full view of spectators and seen on TV where Reyes and Erram had a heated exchange during which Reyes told Erram that if he cannot take orders or criticism, he should be the coach.
If TNT eventually loses the championship, one can specifically look back to these verbal skirmishes between coach and player as the main cause of the meltdown. Two things though: this conflict can either unite the team or demoralize it.
Having a Monday day off, however, is not new to the league, especially if the next game is three days away, such as the one scheduled on Wednesday for Game 6, where Ginebra will go for the title after its 73-66 win last Sunday that gave it a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven series.
Whether this rest day will pay off for TNT will be known Wednesday.
PBA takes wait-and-see approach on Davao All-Star Game
GIVEN the unstable political situation in many parts of the country, especially in Davao, many are wondering whether the PBA All-Star Weekend will push through as scheduled in the Mindanao city this May.
SPIN.ph sources said the league is closely monitoring the peace situation in Davao City where many rallies are being held or planned in the coming days to protest the arrest of former President Rodrigo Duterte, who has been flown to the Netherlands to face a charge of crimes against humanity.
One of the rallies is scheduled on March 28 when the former Chief Executive turns 80.
The All-Stars is set May 2-4 as part of a busy schedule for the PBA in the coming months when it celebrates its 50th founding anniversary.
The Office of the Commissioner has devised backup plans in case the situation escalates and forces a move to another city.. - Gerry Ramos
Reconciliation in the offing for UST and Tounkara?
THE line of communicationn between the University of Santo Tomas basketball team and its disgruntled foreign student-athlete Mo Tounkara of Mali has become open again, sources told SPIN.ph recently.
Tounkara left the team after being disappointed by team policies and threatened to bring his game to another school. Whether UST has capitulated and accepted the Malian's demands is unknown, but if talks have resumed then there is a strong possibility of his eventual return.
Because of this, it seems UST may have ditched its plan to get another foreign student-player to replace Tounkara in the school's Season 87 campaign.
UST is set to start its preseason buildup in the Pinoyliga Global Cup with Peter Osang listed as the team's FSA for the tourney.
COLUMN: Mo Tounkara still part of UST Tigers' plans for next season?
The Growling Tigers are looking to build on their podium finish last year especially with Nic Cabañero and Forthsky Padrigao still around for one last try to hopefully complete unfinished business. - RL
Like father, like daughters?
A FORMER player from a PBA champion team has two daughters who he believes could be an asset for Alas Pilipinas, the country's national volleyball team.
SPIN.ph has learned that this former All-Star, who played for multiple PBA teams in a 15-year career, has daughters who played or are still playing for US NCAA colleges.
One is a 23-year-old, 5-foot-8 winger who saw action in a UAAP juniors team back in the day. When her parents returned to the US, she played for an NCAA school.
The other is 16 years old, 6-foot-3, who recently committed to a Division I school but is interested in suiting up for the country’s Under-18 national team.
Nearly a decade since his PBA career ended, this renowned Fil-Am big man returned to the US with his Filipina wife to support their daughters’ volleyball careers.
This former cager also had two Mythical First Team selections, one Mythical Second Team selection and an All-Defensive Team under his name.
Guess who. - JM Garcia
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