The TNT Tropang Giga have been a force in the Angeles City bubble, as they have yet to suffer a loss.
Will their hot start end tomorrow at the hands of the Blackwater Elite, who are looking to pick up the pieces following an ugly loss to the Alaska Aces?
Catch this game live on October 22 at 4:00 pm, Manila time.
The TNT Tropang Giga (4-0)
The Tropang Giga are proving to be a team that’s hard to kill. In their 110-91 win against the Phoenix Fuel Masters last Monday, the Tropang Giga overcame a nine-point deficit at the half by unleashing a torrid second half that saw them outsourcing their opponents, 75-37.
Roger Pogoy led TNT with his 30 points, and his scoring will be very much needed against Blackwater to counter the offense of the Elite’s aggressive guards. If you believe in revenge games, then also watch out for JP Erram, who used to don Blackwater threads before hooking up with the Tropang Giga. Erram has been sensational in this conference, as he is averaging 15.7 points, 10 rebounds, and a block in four games.
Blackwater must be missing the services of Erram, especially his presence in the middle, as the Elite have been so vulnerable in the paint. They have given up 108 points in the paint in their last two games, a good sign for TNT slashers Jayson Castro, Ray Parks Jr., and Pogoy.
The Blackwater Elite (2-2)
Blackwater reeked in its last game, which was a 120-82 massacre of a loss at the hands of the Alaska Aces on Tuesday.
It was a frustrating loss for the Elite, to say the least, as they entered that game on the heels of a solid 98-88 win on Sunday against the NLEX Road Warriors in which they looked like a team that’s on the rise under head coach Nash Racela. Now, the Elite will have to put that loss to Alaska behind them.
Blackwater’s big guns were shut down in the Alaskas game, with only Mike Tolomia and Ed Daquioag scoring in double figures, with 10 and 18 points, respectively. Don Trollano and Roi Sumang, meanwhile combined for just eight points.
Those two will have to click offensively along with Daquioag, as the trio is the heart of Blackwater, which also boasts of the highest-scoring bench (56.2 PPG) in the PBA in this conference.
PREDICTION:
Whatever Blackwater can do, TNT can do better. The speed of Blackwater’s guards will not be as effective against the Tropang Giga, who have Castro and Pogoy. The frontcourt of TNT also trumps that of Blackwater. TNT will win this game, 106-97.
