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[av_heading heading=’ ‘Outhustled’ KaTropa seeks equalizer’ tag=’h3′ style=’blockquote modern-quote’ size=’30’ subheading_active=’subheading_below’ subheading_size=’15’ padding=’10’ color=” custom_font=”]
BY ADRIAN STEWART CO
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Wednesday, October 4, 2017
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MANILA – After getting manhandled in the series opener, TNT KaTropa guns for a series-tying win in Game 2 of the PBA Governors’ Cup best-of-five semifinals against Barangay Ginebra San Miguel Kings tonight in Batangas City.
KaTropa head coach Nash Racela hopes his wards will learn from their mistakes in their 121-94 defeat to the defending champion Monday night at the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.
TNT struggled heavily and held to 40 percent shooting (34-of-85). It also had a hard time protecting the leather, committing 22 turnovers.
“We were outplayed, we were outcoached, we were outhustled in Game 1,” Racela said. “I am just hoping we can regain our bearings in Game 2 or we will fall to 0-2.”
Racela also refused to entertain the notion that his players were tired heading into the match after being stretched to a do-or-die game by Rain or Shine Elasto Painters in the quarterfinals.
“I don’t know. Could be they are tired, but we shouldn’t be entertaining those thoughts at this point,” said the first-year KaTropa head coach. “That’s how I’ve always felt about the fatigue factor.”
“The difference is Ginebra’s last game was on Wednesday, our last game was Friday, so it was really hard to prepare for this game,” he added. “We had little window to rest, and I think we had two practices before the game. I think that was crucial.”
KaTropa guard Jayson Castro is optimistic they would be able to recover from their defeat by correcting their miscues.
“Siguro sa defense namin (kailangan mag-focus) kasi in-allow namin sila … and then lahat ng bigs nila nakuhanan kami so siguro kailangan namin i-take away iyong mga ganun,” he said. “At the same time iyong offense namin kailangan din namin ayusin.”/PN
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