MONTALBAN - TNT missed three key players when it opened its campaign in the PBA Season 50.
The Tropang 5G were without injured Brandon Ganuelas-Rosser and Kim Aurin, while shooting guard Jordan Heading was down with the flu, compounding the injury woes of a team already without Jayson Castro and Poy Erram.
READ Nambatac makes up for lost time as TNT opens with win vs Phoenix
Coach Chot Reyes said Ganuelas-Rosser has a slight strain he suffered when the team saw action in a pocket tournament in Abu Dhabi recently.
"Actually kung pipilitin, pwede naman si Brandon. But we felt it was best to give him more days to recover," said Reyes following TNT's 93-78 win over Phoenix at the Ynares Center here on Friday night.
Heading caught a viral infection a few days before the game.
"Ang ganda ng pina-practice niya pero two days tinamaan siya ng high fever. Nilagnat siya kaya hindi nakapag-practice kahapon," said Reyes of the sophomore guard.
Heading was in playing jersey, but didn't see action.
"Sinubukan niya today pero hindi pa rin siya makahinga. So its really viral kaya hindi rin siya nakalaro"
Aurin meanwhile, has strained glutes.
Yet despite the manpower shortage, the Tropang 5G still got the job done against the Fuel Masters as the returning Rey Nambatac led the TNT charge with 22 points.
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