The TNT KaTropa have stolen a few pages from San Miguel Beermen’s playbook, and it’s been doing wonders for them in their current Philippine Cup quarterfinal series with the reigning four-time all-Filipino champions.
San Miguel head coach Leo Austria admitted as much when his chargers bowed to the Texters, 88-93, in Game Two on Monday night. The series goes to a deciding Game Three on Wednesday, April 10.
“It seems na those players from San Miguel na nalipat doon, naibigay lahat nila ng mga plays namin,” said the three-time Coach of the Year moments after the match.
“Kabisadong-kabisado nila yung ginagawa namin.”
Austria was talking about San Miguel’s former bench players David Semerad and Brian Heruela. The two had been part of the Beermen’s all-Filipino dynasty before they were shipped to the KaTropa prior to the league’s 2019 season.
But beyond that, Austria rued his wards’ shortcomings on both ends of the floor that led to the stinging loss.
Austria lamented the way the Beermen shot from the outside. Known as a formidable team once they get their flow going from beyond the arc, San Miguel only managed five triples in the 30 shots they took in Game Two.
“Our shooting percentage from the three-point area, masyadong mababa,” he said.
“Nag-take advantage sila [TNT] doon.”
Austria also did not like SMB’s defense. He felt that they failed to sustain their defensive intensity from Game One last Saturday, where they turned to zone defense in the second half and walked away with the 80-78 win.
“We have to play better defense. Last time we’re able to give them only seventy-eight points, but tonight it’s ninety-three,” said Austria.
“So the name of the game is how you can play good defense because it’s not only offense, ano.”
