WITH a grand slam in sight, Chot Reyes hammers home one message for TNT: it all starts with work ethic.
Often overlooked in favor of flashier fixes, plain hard work is the main satellite powering Tropang 5G’s push for history.
Right now, that means winning the PBA Philippine Cup crown against the giants of San Miguel.
While it’s tempting to lean on talent and let results speak for themselves, Reyes believes the real power that keeps this engine going happens behind the scenes.
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“It’s everything for us. It’s the foundation of everything we do,” he said. “Everyone in the PBA is talented — you don’t get here without talent. But to be competitive, you have to learn how to play hard. Then you can play well.”
With gritty guys like Poy Erram, Roger Pogoy, and Calvin Oftana, and a culture handed down from Jimmy Alapag to veteran Jayson Castro, Reyes, one of the league’s most successful coaches, leans on work ethic to keep his squad grounded and locked in.
“That’s the foundation of our team, I’m a big believer that hustle is a skill, and effort is talent. So, that’s very special. Players in our team know if you slack off, you’re out, you’re not going to last long in our team, that’s one of our values,” he added.
His core responds well, gripping the ball tight until the final buzzer.
“We know naman kung ano ’yung ina-ask ni coach sa amin,” said Erram. “That’s why the way we play defense is hard, fast, and smart. We always play as a team. We go back to defense because it always wins for us. It’s proven every time. Kahit matatalo na kami, mananalo pa rin kami kasi we stick to it.”
Now, TNT hopes that grit will carry them all the way, as they gear up for a slugfest against the tough Beermen.
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