The Talk ‘N Text TNT Tropang Giga is scheduled for a head-to-head game against the Meralco Bolts at 3:00 PM on February 17, 2023 live from the Smart Araneta Coliseum at Quezon City, Metro Manila.
The KaTropa has no plans to slow down but instead, pile more wins and extend their winning streak to five in a row while the Bolts wanted to make a quick bounce-back victory as PBA third conference resumes this afternoon at the Big Dome.
Meralco Bolts Prepare to Face TNT Tropang Giga’s Latest Import
Meralco Bolts head coach, Norman Black, is bracing his team for the challenge ahead as they face the TNT Tropang Giga in the PBA Governors Cup on Friday. The team’s latest import, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, who debuted for TNT last Wednesday, made a remarkable all-around performance with 37 points, 13 rebounds, and seven assists, leaving Coach Black to pay closer attention to their upcoming game.
Here’s a closer look at how the Meralco Bolts are preparing to face the TNT Tropang Giga:
Assessing the Tropang Giga’s Threats
Despite already having faced the Tropang Giga in previous games, Coach Black knows that his team should not underestimate their opponents. He is preparing his team to defend well against TNT’s top players, such as Mikey Williams, Jayson Castro, Glenn Khobuntin, and Calvin Oftana. To do so, the Bolts’ coach plans to rely mostly on KJ McDaniels, Chris Newsome, Allein Maliksi, Bong Quinto, and Aaron Black.
Learning from TNT’s Last Game
Coach Black watched a replay of TNT’s last game, taking note of how Hollis-Jefferson and his teammates played. Black acknowledged that Pogoy is currently one of TNT’s main recipients of Hollis-Jefferson’s passes, which he must be prepared to defend against.
“I didn’t see the entire game because we had practice. I just saw some of the clips of it,” related Black. “I’m gonna watch when it comes back on TV tonight.”
Adjusting to TNT’s Latest Import
Coach Black initially had no clear idea of what Hollis-Jefferson would bring to TNT. However, after witnessing the import’s performance in their latest game, he knows that the Bolts will have to bring their A-game to contain the Tropang Giga. Black plans to rely on his team’s chemistry to adjust to Hollis-Jefferson’s playing style.
“He doesn’t look like a ball-dominant guy. But he was very efficient today,” said Black. “I do know Pogoy had 40 and the new import had 37 so that’s a pretty potent offense right now.”
Facing TNT will be another tough challenge for the Meralco Bolts. However, Coach Black is confident that his team will be ready to play. He is aware of the Tropang Giga’s latest import, Rondae Hollis-Jefferson, and plans to rely on his team’s preparation and chemistry to handle the Tropang Giga’s offensive threats.
“We’ve played them before, so we pretty much know how to defend them, how to attack them,” Black said.