PHILIPPINE Cup titlist TNT pursues its lofty goal of a season double championship, going for a quick PBA Governors' Cup Final Four entry versus lower-ranked rival Barangay Ginebra.
Riding the momentum of a five-game romp in the elims, the Tropang Giga hope to get going and repeat their quarterfinals conquest of the Gin Kings in the last all-Filipino tourney.
But even with their twice-to-beat advantage, coach Chot Reyes believes they can't take the Gin Kings lightly.
TNT takes its first crack at the semis in its 6 p.m. setto with Ginebra Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
"We're playing the team with the resident Best Import (Justin Brownlee) so we have to be ready," said Reyes. "It's going to take much, much better defensive effort for us to be able to beat a team like Ginebra."
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The Kings struggled to a sixth-place finish in the elims, but coach Tim Cone feels the team is in better shape now and ready to battle in the playoffs.
"We know we have an uphill battle (against TNT) but the guys feel they are playing better of late and their confidence is high. We'll be ready," said Cone.
The Kings are without Joe Devance, Stanley Pringle, Jared Dillinger and Aljon Mariano, and have been fighting hard largely behind Brownlee, Scottie Thompson, LA Tenorio, Japeth Aguilar and Christian Standhardinger.
The Tropang Giga had had their own health woes, but are back in shape.
Five straight wins over San Miguel Beer, Barangay Ginebra, Blackwater, Terrafirma and NorthPort had the Tropang Giga salvaging the No. 3 seed and the twice-to-beat incentive in the quarterfinals.
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And they're determined to make good use of their quarters edge in a bid for an early semis passage against the winner of the NLEX-Alaska tussle.
The other quarters pairings pit top seed Magnolia against No. 8 Phoenix and No. 4 Meralco opposite No. 5 San Miguel Beer. (SB)
