CUT off the head of the snake and the body will die.
Basically, it’s the game plan TNT prepared against NorthPort in their PBA Commissioner’s Cup game Saturday night at the Philsports Arena, with deadly gunner Robert Bolick the main target of the Tropang Giga’s defensive scheme.
Coach Chot Reyes admitted the conscious effort on the part of the team to limit Bolick as much as possible, especially coming in the heels of his career-game 44 points which he dropped against Meralco last week in a 101-95 win in overtime.
See: TNT vents frustration on NorthPort with 24-point rout
“We really game-planned for Robert because he’s the one who really allows this team to win, he’s the heart and soul. So we game planned for him,” said Reyes after TNT claimed its first win of the conference behind a 117-93 rout of the Batang Pier.
“Even if the other scores, even if (Prince) Ibeh gets his opportunity inside, we were willing to swallow that just to make sure we pay attention to Robert because we know when he gets going, how difficult to stop him.”
As it turned out, Bolick finished with 14 points, including eight in the second half at a time when the Tropang Giga already had the game well under control.
The NorthPort scoring machine was limited to a 5-12 shooting from the field, including 1-of-6 from three-point range. He added three rebounds and seven assists.
“I think that’s part of the reason why we won tonight because we’re able to execute on that defensive game plan,” according to Reyes.
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