Tropang Giga hope shots keep on falling

MANILA, Philippines -- TNT head coach Chot Reyes is hopeful that the Tropang Giga will sustain their hot shooting throughout the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals, after taking Game 1 of their best-of-seven championship series.

The Tropang Giga on Friday did just enough to keep Barangay Ginebra at bay, 95-89, in Game 1.

There, the squad dropped eight 3-pointers in the first quarter and finished with 14 triples.

With import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson dominating inside, six TNT players sank at least one 3-pointer led by RR Pogoy, who connected on five of his 10 attempts from deep.

Calvin Oftana, Glenn Khobuntin, Kelly Williams and Rey Nambatac also had two triples apiece, while Kim Aurin had one.

Reyes said that while their defense kept Ginebra’s shooting “to a minimal level”, the game is “still about putting the ball in the hoop.”

“We can play all the defense we want, but the game is still about putting the ball in the hoop. It's still about scoring points. So the key is for us to get good shots. As long as we keep consistently getting good shots, some will fall, some will not,” he told reporters.

“But at least… the entire objective of our offense is to get good shots. So I think that's what you saw,” he added.

With Hollis-Jefferson scoring 23 points in the first half, Ginebra cracked down on the lefty import in the second half.

But timely shots from the locals were just too much to overcome for the Gin Kings.

“When they weren't helping too much on Rondae, he was getting his points. And then when they started helping on Rondae, then it opened up the others. So Kim made a couple, made a 3. Glenn made a couple. Ray made a couple, aside of course from Roger and Calvin,” he said.

“So hopefully we can sustain that. That's the shooting we need.”

The veteran coach recalled on Friday morning, he played in a golf tournament and he kept missing his putts. But he said that he was fine with it, as long as his players connected on theirs against Ginebra.

“So luckily, that's what happened. I'll take that anytime.”

Hollis-Jefferson, for his part, lauded his teammates for stepping up in the second half.

“I was just being aggressive, being aggressive. My deep shot wasn't falling, but I'm always able to get to the rim. I'm a really good pull-up jump shooter, so I was able to find other ways, you know, to put the ball in the basket,” he said.

“And at the end of the day, you know, we got to be able to put the ball in the basket to win the game. So I was able to do that. And then in the second half, my guys stepped up, made some big shots, even Roger in the beginning, you know, making tough shots.

“You got to give credit to those guys. Rey hit a couple. You just got to give credit to my teammates for being able to step up in big moments.”

Game 2  will be on Sunday, 7:30 p.m., at the same venue.