MERALCO coach Luigi Trillo warned that a TNT team without Bol Bol remains a dangerous team heading into Game 3 of the PBA 50th Season Commissioner’s Cup semifinals.
The Bolts will look to take advantage of TNT’s super import now out of the conference due to a suspected partial Achilles tear in his left foot that he sustained in Game 2.
Trillo said Bol is definitely a huge loss for TNT especially with the former NBA player appearing to be trusting his locals a lot more as shown in his conference-high eight assists in Game 1.
“You need to take advantage of this opportunity,” Trillo said.
“Obviously, Bol Bol is a different kind of player. He was passing the ball. We can’t control what they are doing. All that we can control is get back to the drawing board a little bit, see the video, clean a little bit of the mistakes.”
TNT has activated former University of the Philippines player Malick Diouf as its import to replace Bol but the Senegalese import will still need to submit pertinent papers such as Games and Amusements Board (GAB) license and Uniform Players Contract in order to be able to play in Game 3.
But regardless of the import, Trillo expects the locals led by Calvin Oftana, RR Pogoy, and Jordan Heading to step up just like what happened in Game 2.
“Sometimes, those things fall to your lap. We have to take advantage of the opportunity. I’m sure it won’t be an easy game. Imports are one thing. But the locals of Talk ‘N Text, that’s why they are in back-to-back finals. That’s why the guys are called upon. And they are tough,” said Trillo.
The Bolts avoided a 0-2 hole with the Game 2 win although, at first, it looked like they were heading for another defeat when they can’t put the Tropang 5G away after Bol left the game due to the injury.
The game was tied at 57 entering the fourth but the Bolts outscored the Tropang 5G, 30-19, in the final period to claim the win.
“Coach Nenad (Vucinic) said some things that connected with the guys," Trillo shared.
"Sometimes kapag walang import, it can put pressure on you. But at this point, it doesn’t matter who we are facing out there, just holding the guys to a higher standard. It would be embarrassing for us if we lose (Game 2) to another team without an import."
Trillo was referring to the time when Meralco was defeated by Rain or Shine, 109-102, last March 27 where they lost to an Elasto Painters team that missed Jaylen Johnson due to a suspension in relation to a punching incident with Glenn Khobuntin of TNT.
Trillo said an all-Filipino TNT line-up is capable of getting victories with the likes of Pogoy, Oftana, and Heading.
“First half, we weren’t shooting the ball well. Some calls here and there. Second half, you have to give it to them… These types of guys, Pogoy, Oftana, Heading, they are in their element when they get downhill," he said.
"They’ve been here 10 years, they run the dribble drive, they can hit the three. But when they start dribbling and they start getting into the paint, and they make you pay for it, they are hard to stop,” he added.
“It’s evident now that we still have our hands full. Wala silang import and these guys still played. It came down to almost the last possession."
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