Joshua Smith vs June Mar Fajardo. PBA IMAGES
A win behind in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals, TNT KaTropa is working on the requirements of Mike Myers as the coaching staff decides by 12 noon on Tuesday whether or not to play a new import for Game 4 of the best-of-seven title series.
Joshua Smith played the first three games and helped the Texters win the series opener, but after back-to-back losses to the powerhouse San Miguel Beermen, coach Nash Racela is now contemplating on tapping Myers.
Myers flew in more than a week ago supposedly to replace Smith in the Final Four series with Barangay Ginebra after the 6-foot-9, 330-pound big man tore ligaments in his right foot.
But Smith bravely plodded on and hit the winning basket in the Texters’ 104-102 Game 1 win as he repaid his local teammates in kind after they had asked Racela to give him the chance to play in the championship series.
Myers, if he gets the green light to play, will be measured for the 6-foot-10 height limit hours before the 7 p.m. tip off of Game 4 on Wednesday at Smart Araneta Coliseum.
Team officials are confident that Myers will easily make the grade.
After the Beermen’s 109-97 Game 3 win, San Miguel coach Leo Austria said TNT would be “better” off replacing Smith at this stage of the series because the Beermen showed a lot of authority winning the last two games.
Players of both teams will be coming off a break on Monday, with the TNT coaching staff meeting to discuss whether or not to replace the injured Smith.
If he gets the go-signal, Myers will have the benefit of just one practice on Tuesday before he plunges into action to try to save the Texters from falling into a 1-3 hole against the consensus team to beat in the tournament.