The job’s not finished yet.
NorthPort on Saturday chalked up its fifth win in a row at the expense of Terrafirma to remain the hottest team in the 2022 PBA Governors’ cup, but the team is hardly celebrating as it has its sights set on a bigger goal.
To beat TNT, that is.
“That five wins is nothing kung hindi namin namin mapanalo pa ‘yung last game,” said head coach Pido Jarencio after the 124-117 win at the SMART Araneta Coliseum.
“Our next target is our next game, which is Talk N Text.”
The Batang Pier will wrap up their elimination round campaign against the Tropang Giga on March 11. And that match is all-important for them since it could tell whether or not they can make the quarterfinals.
Looking at the standings, NorthPort is currently sharing the seventh spot with two other teams, namely defending champion Ginebra San Miguel and Phoenix Super LPG as they all sport identical 5-5 records.
Getting that sixth win is crucial, since, historically, teams that earn six victories are assured of a spot in the next round. Thus, the ball club’s aim of earning an upset against the flagship MVP Group franchise.
TNT is presently sitting at sixth with a 5-4 record and is very much in the running for a coveted Top Four slot should it sweep its last two games. Before battling the Batang Pier, it will take on the Dyip first on March 9.
The Tropa are headed into their final assignments with a three-game winning streak. Jarencio knows that they will be up against the contenders, but the objective remains the same: Go all out.
Photo by PBA Images
“We go all out on Talk N Text,” he said.
“Sabi ko sa kanila, balewala yung five straight wins kung ‘yung last game natin ‘di natin maipanalo, which is crucial kung papasok tayo sa playoffs. Kaya ang goal is to win against Talk N Text and to get that quarterfinal slot.”
The cager turned coach knows, too, that the reigning Philippine Cup titlists are gunning for the win as well for its twice-to-beat hopes. And so he believes that the match will simply boil down to who wants it more.
“Kasi sila, kailangan din nila manalo. Kami kailangan din namin manalo. Given ‘yun. It’s going to be a good game,” Jarencio said.
“I think it’s about the desire and then kung sino aggressive, full of energy in that game, ‘yun ang sigurong makakakuha ng breaks of the game.”
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