Tropa readying outside guns

MANILA, Philippines — TNT is preparing to utilize a major weapon that gave it a big edge against Barangay Ginebra in its previous title run – long-distance shooting.

The Tropang Giga shot at a 39.6-percent marksmanship from the three-point arc (67-of-169) and averaged 11 per game, which, coupled with their trademark defense, lifted them past the Gin Kings in the finals of the season-opening PBA Governors’ Cup last November, 4-2.

As they renew their rivalry and this time fight over the crown in the mid-season Commissioner’s Cup starting Friday, the troops of coach Chot Reyes hope their outside sniping clicks anew.

“Araw-araw namin pina-practice ‘yun, talagang weapon namin ‘yung three points,” said TNT sophomore guard Kim Aurin.

“Kung gusto naming manalo against Ginebra, kailangang maganda ‘yung outside shooting namin kagaya noong last conference. (But) Ready naman kaming lahat as a team,” said gunner RR Pogoy.

Stats from the Governors’ Cup championship series showed TNT outgunning Ginebra from afar in all six games, including Games 3 and 4 that it lost.

The Tropang Giga were 12-of-30 in their Game 1 victory, 14-of-37 in Game 2, 11-of-25 in Game 5 and 10-of-25 in their title-clincher in Game 6. The Gin Kings, for their part, knocked down a total of 38 in the series, with a single-match high of nine and low of two.

“Pagdasal na lang namin dito na sana pumasok; na sana ‘yung bola may anghel, ano,” TNT rifleman Calvin Oftana said, smiling and laughing.

“Importante naman talaga sa team ‘yung percentage sa outside shooting. Doon kami nagre-rely. If low ‘yung percentage namin sa outside or konti ‘yung tini-take namin sa isang game, talagang mahihirapan kaming manalo.”

In their last semifinal series against Rain or Shine, Oftana and Co. fired 43-of-131 from the  three-point territory (32.82).