TNT seeks PBA crown

Ed Andaya

Sep 8

The results:
Game1 -- TNT 86, San Miguel 84.
Game 2 -- San Miguel 109, TNT 100.
Game 3 -- San Miguel 108, TNT 100.
Game 4 -- TNT 100, San Miguel 87.
Game 5 -- TNT 102, SanMiguel 92.
(TNT leads series, 3-2).

TNT is looking to complete a succesful title defense, while San Miguel Beer is hoping to stay alive in Game 6 of the PBA Philippine Cup at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Buoyed by back-to-back victories in games 4 and 5 that gave them a 3-2 lead in the best-of-seven championship series, the Tropang Giga will go for the jugular in the 5:45 p.m.encounter against the Beermen.
A victory by Tropang Giga over the Beermen will enable them to defend the crown they won over Magnolia Hotshots last year.
The Manny V. Pangilinan will also capture its seventh All-Filipino crown -- second most behind San Miguel's nine.
TNT is currently tied for second most number of titles at six with Purefoods/San Mig Coffee.
But TNT coach Chot Reyes is not ready to celebrate yet.
"I've always said it - the hardest game to win is the sixth game. We have no illusions about it. We know it's going to be a huge, difficult war so we have to be prepared," said Reyes in an interview posted at the official PBA website.
"All we can do is prepare ourselves, control the things we can control and just be ready for Friday," added Reyes..
PBA Best Playerof the Conference winner June Mar Fajardo said the series is not over yet.
"Kailangan nila kami talunin ng isa pa; hindi pa tapos yung series," said Fajardo, who finished with a double-double of 20 points and 16 rebounds in a losing effort during Game 5 last Wednesday.
Fajardo is expected to play even better to redeem himself after being outplayed by 40-year-old Fil-Am Kelly Willians, who helped the Tropang Giga a lot. Robert Andaya