It wasn’t the return Joshua Smith had envisioned in terms of individual numbers, but it was the welcome he and everybody would definitely want to receive.
Smith didn’t have to sweat much on Wednesday night, as the TNT Katropa dictated the pace right from the get-go and clobbered Ronald Tubid and the Columbian Dyip, 123-95, at the SM Mall of Asia Arena in Pasay City.
The hulking 6-foot-10 slotman played for just 13 minutes and five seconds, and made 11 points and three rebounds.
“It’s always good. First game back, and you get a win. I’m glad we pulled it out,” said Smith moments after the win, which enabled them to get a share of the top spot of the team standings.
“The guys played their hearts out today.”
The Washington native, who replaced the underperforming Jeremy Tyler, admitted that he still has a lot of catching up to do in his second tour of duty, with some of the new sets of plays and with his new teammates.
“We’re running new plays that we didn’t run last year. It’s a new system, so I’m just trying to get used to it.” the 26-year-old Smith shared.
“I’m playing with some new guys, playing with some guys I played with last year.
“It’s a little bit of both,” added Smith, who helped the Katropa reach the 2017 Commissioner’s Cup Finals while battling a foot injury.
He may have a ways to go to jell thorougly with this somewhat-new Katropa team, but Smith is already lauding the way the Texters have gone deep, especially with the addition of Jericho Cruz and reigning scoring champion Terrence Romeo.
In the victory, Smith witnessed both gunslinging guards’ exploits: Romeo fired 19 points, seven rebounds, and five assists, while Cruz was also all over the place as he scattered 17 markers, seven dimes, and six caroms.
TNT, as a whole, had 13 of their 16 players score at least a point in the win.
“He’s (Romeo) a hell of a player, him and Jericho. To add two guys like that with the guys we have right now, we’re deep.”
