The TNT Tropang Giga will begin their Governors’ Cup title defense this Tuesday when they take on the NorthPort Batang Pier in the second game of a doubleheader at the Smart Araneta Coliseum. Will the Tropang Giga live up to the hype and take down NorthPort? Or, will the Batang Pier ship it for win No. 1?

Catch this game live on Tuesday,  August 20 at 7:30 pm, Manila time.

NorthPort Batang Pier (0-0)

Projected Starting Five:

• John Calma
• Joshua Munzon
• Arvin Tolentino
• Will Navarro
• Taylor Johns

NorthPort, coming off another mediocre conference, will look to make a big noise right out of the gate of the Governors’ Cup. Beating a perennial title contender like the Tropang Giga will be easier said than done this Tuesday for the Batang Pier, but perhaps not many people remember that NorthPort is 2-0 in its last two games overall against TNT. The Batang Pier beat TNT in the Philippine Cup last April (112-96) and also last December during the Comissioner’s Cup (128-123). 

This time, NorthPort will be boasting of some notable newcomers including former Magnolia Chicken Timplados Hotshots guard Jio Jalalon, big man Abu Tratter, and rookie Evan Nelle. NorthPort can be expected to play fast, with a deep backcourt, but the offense will continue to lean a lot on Arvin Tolentino, who led the team in the last conference with 21.3 points per game.

TNT Tropang Giga (0-0)

Projected Starting Five:

• Rey Nambatac
• RR Pogoy
• Calvin Oftana
• Rondae Hollis-Jefferson
• Kelly Williams

The Tropang Giga have new faces on the team too, none more attention-grabbing than former Rain or Shine ElastoPainters and Blackwater Bossing star guard Rey Nambatac. With the Letran Knights product in the fold, TNT’s backcourt got a boost amid the Mikey Williams saga. Nambatac also gives TNT yet another prolific scorer to run alongside the likes of RR Pogoy and Calvin Oftana. 

That is not to mention that Rondae Hollis-Jefferson is back as TNT’s import. Hollis-Jefferson’s familiarity with TNT and PBA’s style of play should serve the Tropang Giga well right away, especially against NorthPort, which had the fifth-worst defensive rating in the PBA in the last conference. Conversely, the Tropang Giga were third overall in the Philippine Cup with 108.6 points per 100 possessions.

Picks

Spread: TNT Tropang Giga (-6.5)

Over/Under: Under (215.5)