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[av_heading heading=’Beermen guns for back-to-back win | TNT Katropa suits up to regain title’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=” subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY ADRIAN STEWART CO
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Wednesday, June 21, 2017
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MANILA – San Miguel Beermen and TNT Katropa will begin chasing the 2017 Oppo PBA Commissioner’s Cup title in Game 1 of the best-of-seven Finals at 7 o’clock tonight at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
Beermen will aim for a second consecutive championship this season while Katropa will work to again snatch the title it last acquired in 2015.
This marks the first time these teams are facing off in a championship series since the 2011 PBA Governor’s Cup, where San Miguel (then Petron Blaze Boosters) denied the latter a Grand Slam feat in seven games.
San Miguel reached the 2017 Commissioner’s Cup Finals for the first time in 16 years after eliminating Star Hotshots in the semifinals. TNT, on the other hand, kicked out Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings.
Beermen head coach Leo Austria said it will not be an easy task for San Miguel to beat TNT Katropa, a “well-disciplined” and “dangerous” squad with its mixture of veterans and newcomers.
“We’re facing a team that is well-disciplined in what they do. And they’re dangerous with their shooters,” Austria said. “That’s why we’re practicing hard … I believe that if you prepare your body and mind, you can handle whatever situation.”
Meanwhile Katropa head coach Nash Racela said he is still figuring out how to stop Beermen but he is counting on his players’ collective effort to get the job done.
“They’re too strong that it really takes a collective, team effort to beat them,” Racela said. “That’s how we approach every game against San Miguel, even [in] the series last conference. When we do things that way, mas malaki iyong tsansa.”
Composing San Miguel are import Charles Rhodes, June Mar Fajardo, Arwind Santos, Chris Ross, Marcio Lassiter, Alex Cabagnot, Gabby Espinas, Brian Heruela, and the Ilonggo Ronald Tubid.
Building up TNT are Jayson Castro, Roger Pogoy, Ryan Reyes, Kelly Williams, Ranidel de Ocampo, Jeth Troy Rosario, Moala Tautuaa, RR Garcia, and Kris Rosales.
Katropa is sticking with reinforcement Joshua Smith./PN
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