There’s no denying that TNT has drawn much attention after clinching the PBA Season 49 Commissioner’s Cup title and sparking talks of a Grand Slam.
Fans and pundits alike had their eyes fixated on the Tropang 5G even before the Philippine Cup began, looking to see if they could accomplish the rare feat.
But practically forgotten amid all the fanfare are the defending conference champions themselves.
The spotlight was no longer on Meralco, who has possession of the Perpetual trophy which it won last season by beating San Miguel in six.
The lack of talk and hype could favor the Bolts, but if asked, Chris Newsome and his crew hardly feel concerned by any narrative.
“I mean… I think we’re gonna focus on what we can control, and that’s ourselves,” offered the long-time face of the franchise. “Whatever narrative that is gonna be out there, that’s something that we can’t control.
“We control what we handle in the locker room, how we think, and how we interact with one another. And I think that’s more important than any narrative that’s gonna be put out there.”
But after Friday night, Meralco has undoubtedly put itself back in the discussion after a thrilling 91-89 victory against Converge in the tournament opener.
There, the Bolts displayed championship poise, coming back from an early 20-point deficit with a strong fourth-quarter push that saw Bong Quinto and their main man deliver in the endgame to complete the spirited rally.
Newsome tied the game with a trey and then nailed the eventual winner with eight-tenths of a second left en route to finishing with 15 points, six rebounds, and four assists as he put on his cape yet again to save them.
(C) PBA Images
Yes, he made his game-clinching shot at the exact same time he sank the epic baseline jumper that helped Meralco secure the Philippine Cup crown back on June 16 of last year, giving the franchise its first-ever PBA championship.
Some may see that as a good omen, but all the 34-year-old guard knows is that the target on their back has gotten bigger.
“It’s nice to be able to say that we are the defending champs, but we also know that the target is bigger on our back and that people are gonna be coming for us this conference, knowing that we’re the defending champs,” he said.
Not just on their back but on TNT’s, too, as the sister teams are motivated by the same goal of achieving glory in the league’s most prestigious conference.
“You can say that both MVP teams are gonna have a big target on them this conference because, you know, Talk N Text is going for that Grand Slam,” he said as the Tropa are aiming for a treble that eluded them in 2011.
“And, we wanna defend the crown and show that what we did last year wasn’t just a one-time thing and that we can do it again.”
