October 11, Friday – Smart Araneta Coliseum
- 5pm – TNT Tropang Giga vs Rain or Shine Elastopainters
- 7:30pm – Ginebra Gin Kings vs San Miguel Beermen
TNT Tropang Giga import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson against Rain or Shine defender during the PBA Governors’ Cup semifinals Game 1. –PBA IMAGES
TNT coach Chot Reyes considers the semifinal series between Rain or Shine as a “battle of contrasts,” with the team that maximizes its strengths likely emerging as the victor down the road.
“Rain or Shine is like No. 1 or No. 2 in almost all offensive categories, and we’re No. 1 in most defensive categories,” Reyes said as the Tropang Giga go for a 2-0 lead in Friday’s Game 2 of their best-of-seven semifinals with the ElastoPainters at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
The Tropang Giga took the opener, 90-81, two nights ago inside Philsports Arena in Pasig City where they needed a four-pointer from import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson to shake off the E-Painters and held them to their second-lowest scoring output this conference.
Tim Cone at the Ginebra Gin Kings’ bench in the PBA Governors’ Cup. –PBA IMAGES
MANILA, Philippines — Barangay Ginebra may have been benefitting from Justin Brownlee’s stellar four-point touch, but coach Tim Cone is still not a fan of the recently introduced 27-foot line in the PBA.
Brownlee had a near-perfect 5-of-6 four-point shooting to pour in 33 points in Ginebra’s dominant 122-105 win over San Miguel in Game 1 of the semifinals on Wednesday at Ninoy Aquino Stadium.
“Just because it favors our team with Justin, that doesn’t mean I’m [now] a fan of the four-point shot,” Cone said. “I just believe that the game has evolved into shooting—taking quick shots, taking four-pointers. If you watch practices … all they do is shoot threes and shoot fours, and I think the game is a lot more than that,” said Cone after their semis series opener win.
TNT import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson puts up a shot against Rain or Shine’s Aaron Fuller during the PBA Governors’ Cup semifinals Game 1. –PBA IMAGES
MANILA, Philippines—For the first time in the PBA Governors’ Cup, TNT import Rondae Hollis-Jefferson had a taste of competition against Rain or Shine import Aaron Fuller.
With the group phase format in effect for the import-laden conference, RHJ and Fuller were unable to face off during the double-round robin elimination round.
Until Wednesday.
“I think whenever you find a post presence who has a motor, it’s definitely going to be challenging,” said Hollis-Jefferson at Philsports Arena.
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