TNT guns for a commanding 3-0 lead when it battles Meralco in their PBA Season 50 Philippine Cup semifinal series on Friday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum in Cubao, Quezon City.
The Tropang 5G and the Bolts collide at 5:15 p.m.
On the other semis showdown, defending champion San Miguel Beer tries to make it two in a row when it battles Barangay Ginebra in Game 3 at 7:30 p.m.
The charges of coach Chot Reyes took a 2-0 cushion last Wednesday following its 109-92 wire-to-wire win.
TNT shot over 51 percent from the floor, while its trademark defense held Meralco to just 41 percent shooting from the field.
Jordan Heading, who scored 24 points in that Game 2 win, said they are focused on the big picture and that is winning the Philippine Cup, the only title that eluded them which denied TNT a grand slam finish last season.
“We’re keeping our eyes on the prize and not getting ahead of ourselves,” said Heading.
The Bolts, meanwhile, will have to recover quick and make sure they come out a resolute effort in order to avoid falling into a 0-3 hole.
Meralco active consultant Nenad Vucinic will miss Game 3 as he attends the wedding of his daughter in New Zealand. Head coach Luigi Trillo, however, will continue calling the shots for the Bolts.
The Beermen, on the other hand, hope they can generate the momentum needed to get ahead of their series against the Gin Kings.
While June Mar Fajardo registered another 20-20 effort in their Game 2 victory, Jeron Teng became coach Leo Austria’s surprise package after exploding for 12 points in the final quarter that allowed SMB to walk away with the victory and tie the series.
Of course, San Miguel still has a plethora of gunners such as CJ Perez, Don Trollano, Jericho Cruz and Juami Tiongson who can make life miserable for the Gin Kings defenders.
Ginebra scored a 99-90 win in Game 1 despite a monster game by Fajardo, who finished with 27 points and 23 rebounds.
