The unsung hero

Don Trollano wasn’t expected to make a major impact in the PBA when he was drafted out of Adamson University on the second round as the 15th overall pick by Rain or Shine in 2015. The scouting report was he would be a role player coming off the bench to fill in at two or three.

So it was that as a rookie in 2015-16, Trollano averaged 3.7 points and 1.5 rebounds in 42 games with the Elasto Painters. His scoring clip improved to 4.2 points in his sophomore season despite playing in only 28 contests. Last campaign, he split time between Rain or Shine and TNT, averaging a combined 5.5 points in 30 total outings. Trollano was traded to TNT in exchange for Norbert Torres at the end of the Philippine Cup last season. He played 11 games for Rain or Shine then went to TNT to see action in 19 contests until the end of the campaign.

In the previous conference, Trollano upped his stats to 8.7 points and 5.1 rebounds a game with TNT, slowly coming into his own as a dependable defender, hustle guy and regular starter. In TNT’s 14 contests in the Philippine Cup, Trollano had 12 starts and seven double figure scoring games.

This conference, Trollano is averaging career-highs of 9.3 points and 5.6 rebounds. In the ongoing Commissioner’s Cup finals, he’s hitting at a 14.3 clip. In TNT’s 115-105 win over San Miguel Beer at the Big Dome last Friday, Trollano finished with a career-high 18 points on 6-of-11 from the floor, including 3-of-7 from deep. Without Trollano’s contribution, the KaTropa wouldn’t have likely pulled off the victory. He didn’t score in the first period but his triple in the second quarter brought the lead back to TNT, 51-50 after San Miguel had rebounded from a 0-24 drought to go ahead. Trollano’s trey ignited a 7-0 TNT run to end the half.

Another Trollano triple triggered a crippling 12-0 surge that ballooned TNT’s lead from three to 15 at 100-85 in the fourth period. The blast virtually sealed the outcome as San Miguel never came closer than eight the rest of the way. Trollano, 27, hasn’t been named Best Player in any finals game so far but his role as TNT’s unsung hero can’t be ignored.  

TNT leads the best-of-7 finals, 2-1, with Game 4 at the Smart Araneta Coliseum tonight. It’s almost a must-win situation for the Beermen who’ll go down, 1-3, if they lose. For San Miguel, the forecast is either rainy or sunny weather. It’ll be heaven if the Beermen win and tie the series, 2-2 and it’ll be hell if they fall behind, 1-3. Although San Miguel has come back from 0-3 to win in the finals, the probability of recovering from 1-3 to beat hungry TNT is severely low.

TNT hasn’t won a title since 2015 or 11 conferences back and five KaTropa players have never tasted a championship, including Troy Rosario and R. R. Pogoy. TNT is hungry for a trophy and isn’t settling for second place. San Miguel, on the other hand, is loaded with championship experience and the Beermen know how to survive tough predicaments. 

In the series, two statistical departments stand out as winning barometers – rebounding and three-point makes. In Game 1, TNT outrebounded San Miguel, 47-43 and knocked down more triples, 13-5 to win, 109-96. The situation was reversed in Game 2 as the Beermen had more boards, 57-55 and more three-point conversions, 18-16 to prevail, 127-125 in double OT. In Game 3, TNT was back in the driver’s seat with more rebounds, 51-46 and more three-point connections, 15-8 to win, 115-105.

Backcourt consistency has been a problem for San Miguel with Alex Cabagnot and Chris Ross combining for 10 points in a Game 1 loss, 44 in a Game 2 win and eight in a Game 3 defeat. In Game 3, San Miguel’s tactic of making JuneMar Fajardo the primary option on offense backfired as although he hit a series-high 27 points, it took away ball movement and three-point opportunities. In Game 2, Fajardo scored 12 points but Cabagnot, Ross and Terrence Romeo combined for 73. 

TNT active coaching consultant Mark Dickel has made an effort to lengthen his rotation as he played 13 men in Games 2 and 3 compared to only nine in Game 1. But his bench has to be more productive to relieve his starters if the series extends to six or seven. In Game 1, two TNT players logged at least 40 minutes compared to one from San Miguel. In Game 2, five TNT players logged at least 40 minutes compared to three from San Miguel. In Game 3, three TNT players logged at least 40 minutes compared to one from San Miguel. It’s clear that Dickel is relying on just his starters for production.  In the finals, San Miguel is averaging 31 bench points and TNT only 5.7. 

Terence Jones’ ability to stay focused and energized is key for TNT. He was ejected in Game 2 and was docked a flagrant foul penalty 1 in Game 3. Jones is soaking in heavy minutes and it’s clear that he paces himself so there’s gas left in his tank in the homestretch. San Miguel’s Chris McCullough isn’t as mature as Jones and at 24, isn’t as well-rounded in terms of playing skills. But McCullough has a supporting cast that’s more responsive and it’s now up to coach Leo Austria to find the right formula to make his pieces fall into place.