Tropa cautious but keen to kill

MANILA, Philippines — With Rain or Shine on life support, defending champion TNT knows that now’s the perfect time to finish off its pesky rival for a PBA Governors’ Cup finals seat.

The Tropang Giga are on the hill with a commanding 3-1 lead, thanks to their hard-earned 91-89 victory in Game 4, and need just 48 minutes or so of hard labor to put the race-to-four series to bed.

It entailed blood, sweat and tears to get into this position and the Chot Reyes-coached TNT is well aware today’s potential clincher at the Ynares Center in Antipolo City is going to take more.

“The finals are furthest from our minds right now. Our only thought is to prepare for the next game – Game 5,” Reyes said ahead of the 7:30 p.m. fifth match.

“Rain or Shine came up with a great game plan (in Game 4) but I thought my players really fought hard, buckled down. Give a lot of credit to the effort they put in. In the end they know what to do, we know what they want to do. It’s just really going to boil down to who wants it more. Hopefully on Friday, we act with the same kind of hunger and edge in Game 5.”

For the embattled Elasto Painters, the plan is simple.

“Our hope is just to keep the series going. RHJ (TNT import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson) is playing like 46 minutes a game at high intensity so tingin namin kung ma-extend namin ito ng 6 or 7 games, there’s a possibility that he might tire out,” ROS mentor Yeng Guiao said.

“If we can continue the series, at some point we’ll be fresher than them.”

Meanwhile, Ginebra and San Miguel Beer battle for control and break a 2-2 stalemate in their Final Four duel at 5 p.m.

It’s been a literal seesaw battle for the two protagonists, with the Gin Kings taking Games 1 and 3 and the Beermen striking back in Games 2 and 4.

SMB strategist Jorge Gallent wants the Beermen to be the first to win back-to-back in the series and close in on the ticket to the Last Dance.

“I hope we change the tide in Friday’s Game. Now, it’s a best of three na lang. We’ll just think of it as ‘Game 1’ on Friday. In a ‘best-of-three,’ Game 1 is very important so I hope tradition breaks on Friday.”

Ginebra counterpart Tim Cone said the adjustment falls on them after SMB’s 131-121 romp last outing.

“It’s basically back to the drawing board for us, try to figure out what we can do better next time around. They were just too good for us (in Game 4). It’s a best-of-three now. We’ll see.”