AS TNT coach Chot Reyes himself expressed, his squad could not rock back on its heels for too long despite its fine start in the PBA Governors' Cup.
Not when even tougher games still await the Tropang Giga, starting with the matchup against Converge Tuesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
A fitting follow-up to its smashing 93-73 win over Meralco last Thursday would jack TNT's record to 3-0 record and solo leadership in Group A.
"I'd like to think that, but we won't have the luxury, because coming up next is Converge and you saw how good their import is," said Reyes when asked if its 2-0 start bodes well for his team.
"So that's something that's going to be a very different challenge for us," added Reyes. "They play a very different game than Meralco so now... we can't dwell on our record or this victory because right now our focus just has to be on Converge and nothing else."
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Indeed, a 93-105 loss to Magnolia last Friday that dropped Converge to an even 1-1 slate should serve more as additional motivation for interim head coach Franco Atienza's side.
And the FiberXers have shown they are indeed a starkly different team than the one from the league-worst last season when they battled back from 21 points down to threaten the Hotshots at 93-98.
It's just that Ian Sangalang and Mark Barroca made a couple of key baskets that restored order Magnolia.
Scotty Hopson, for one, is sure to stir up Converge and be a leader once more after scoring just 26 points (on 12-of-27 field shooting) against Magnolia, a far cry from his 46-point debut in a 127-95 drubbing of Terrafirma last Wednesday.
Also out for a big rebound is Alec Stockton, who finished with just 3 points versus the Hotshots after opening up the season with 21 markers against the Dyip.
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Converge is sure to have its hands full, however, as Rondae Hollis-Jefferson continues to be the all-around lethal force that he usually is with averages of 28.5 points, 14.0 rebounds, 7.0 assists, 2.0 steals and 2.0 blocks per game.
But it is not just the reigning conference Best Import, who has been delivering for the Tropa with Calvin Oftana, Rey Nambatac, Poy Erram and Glenn Khobuntin also chipping in the most to make up for the continued absence of the injured Roger Pogoy, Kelly Williams and Henry Galinato.
"The good thing is, our younger players are stepping up, our new guys are stepping up," said Reyes. "So, I think if there's one good thing that we're seeing is the integration of the newbies... with the rest of the team." (NC)
