TNT sticks with Smith

With no movement as the deadline for player changes elapsed, TNT KaTropa will stick it out with the mammoth import that took the Texters this deep in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup, as they try to turn the tables on the rock-solid, fancied San Miguel Beermen.

TNT will come in as the underdog in the best-of-seven title series starting with the 7 p.m. opening contest at Smart Araneta Coliseum on Wednesday, and the Texters have embraced that tag even more so with Joshua Smith functioning on only one good foot and the Beermen looking as sharp as ever.

Team sources told the Inquirer on Tuesday afternoon that the local players had asked coaches, led by Nash Racela, to play Smith in the series opener, knowing that the entire team owes the 6-foot-9, 330-pound banger something for taking them past No. 1 ranked Barangay Ginebra in the Final Four.

No one in authority confirmed this news, though, but it seems logical since TNT has opted not to tap standby import Mike Myers—at least for Game 1.

San Miguel will be shooting for the second jewel of a coveted Triple Crown sweep and the Beermen have the roster that can pull it off.

In their Final Four with sister team Star, the Beermen won the last three games with contributions coming from everywhere.

June Mar Fajardo and import Charles Rhodes will be the main concerns of the TNT defense, and once this duo dominates the inside, TNT could be in for a heap of trouble when they clog the lanes with Marcio Lassiter, Alex Cabagnot and a whole lot of others there to make the outside shot.

If Smith comes out healthier than he did in the last two games of the Ginebra series, the Texters stand a good chance to upset the Beermen as he could more or less make life difficult for Fajardo because of his size and leave the locals to try and handle Rhodes.

San Miguel has the hunger factor despite this being the Beermen’s fifth trip in the title series in the last eight conferences. The winningest team in the league has not won this tournament since 2000, a 17-year thirst the Beermen would want to quench.

After winning the Philippine Cup in all of the last three seasons, the Beermen have been unlucky in this conference owing to import problems.

They have none of that here, with Rhodes displaying utmost professionalism and jiving with the star-studded local roster.

Jason Castro is the biggest local weapon of the Texters, and the fleet-footed guard showed that much by pumping in 38 points in Game 4 of the Ginebra series.

But Castro was quick to downplay the role he will play in this series, insisting that individuality has no place in their team.

“When we play together as a team, good things always happen,” Castro said. “It will not be Jason Castro against anyone in the San Miguel lineup, we will need total team effort to beat San Miguel.”