ILOILO -- On the eve of their road game here, TNT KaTropa coach Nash Racela and team manager Virgil Villavicencio took time out to play a round at the Santa Barbara golf course and found it very challenging with its tall hills, rolling terrains and water hazards.
And they brace themselves for what could well be a tougher challenge as they play reigning Philippine Cup three-peat champ San Miguel Beer in their out-of-town tussle at the University of San Agustin Gym here Saturday.
Game time is at 5 p.m. between two teams which squared off in a semi-final duel in the 2017 PBA all-Filipino tourney.
June Mar Fajardo and his teammates hurdled Jason Castro and the TNT squad, then repeated over the Texters in their championship face-off in the Commissioner's Cup.
The rosters of the two teams have remained practically the same for PBA Season 43, with the Beermen looking to have the edge against the rest of the field.
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The Texters, however, remain a fighting squad, determined to find a way to pull the rug from under the Beermen.
San Miguel seeks a third straight win while TNT looks for a follow-up to its 106-98 repulsing of Alaska Milk the last time out.
The Texters are at 1-1, having dropped their first outing against the Rain or Shine Elasto Painters.
The two teams figure in the first of five out-of-town settos in the Philippine Cup elims.
The PBA also visits Legaspi, Albay; Calasiao, Pangasinan; Dumaguete and Cagayan de Oro in the tourney.
