It has been two long years since TNT Katropa found themselves standing on top of the podium and hoisting a championship trophy while basking on all the glory.
But now, the MVP-owned franchise will have a chance to end that drought and their hunger for gold as TNT made it to the 2017 Commissioner’s Cup Finals, a conference they last won back in 2015.
And for team skipper Jayson Castro, the Katropa’s eagerness to put an end to their championship turmoil serves as their fuel entering the Finals.
“Yung [pagiging] eager namin to win a championship, yun yung magdadala sa amin, kasi 2015 pa yung last championship namin,” said the nine-year-pro after the Finals’ press conference, Monday afternoon at Sambokojin in Eastwood City.
“Sana masundan na.”
However, Castro knows that clinching the mid-season joust’s title will be hard to attain, as the San Miguel Beermen, another team that is looking to end a streak — a 17-year Commissioner’s Cup title drought, is standing in their way. For him, the only way to beat the well-oiled San Miguel machine is for them to have one mindset.
“Kagaya ng sinabi ni coach Nash [Racela], for us to beat San Miguel, we need to play as a team. Alam naman natin yung San Miguel, powerhouse team,” said the four-time Best Player of the Conference awardee.
The Finals will raise its curtains on Wednesday at the Big Dome. And all eyes will be on Castro, taking note on whether he will perform the same way he did last Saturday, where he powered TNT with 38 points and 11 dimes to close out Ginebra in four games in their semis clash.
Though the Bacolor, Pampanga-native has that tendency to take over games, for him, it will all boil down to what the opposing team’s defense will give him.
“Siguro nasa situation ng game naman yun eh. Kung anong binibigay ng defense and at the same time kung ano ang gameplan nila sa akin. Anytime, kaya kong mag-adjust,” said the reigning Asia’s best point guard.
“This is my ninth year in the league. For me, siguro yung number one goal ko is to win a championship, hindi ‘yung numbers ko.”
