TNT to field ailing import in 'dream' PBA finals collision vs SMB

Game Wednesday (Smart Araneta Coliseum)

7 p.m. – TNT KaTropa vs San Miguel

MANILA, Philippines – TNT KaTropa sticks with jumbo import Josh Smith, deciding not to gamble on an untested substitute reinforcement—at least not yet—as the Texters battle the San Miguel Beermen in Game One of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup best-of-seven finale at the Smart Araneta Coliseum Wednesday night.

The league honors the country’s armed forces during the singing of the national anthem at 7 p.m. then the TNT-SMB slugfest begins—a marquee face-off of flagship ball clubs of corporate rivals MVP Group and San Miguel Corp.

The curious issue is the readiness of Smith with his slight ligament tear suffered in Game Three of their best-of-five semifinal duel with Barangay Ginebra.

Observers say a dream series unfolds if Smith can play his usual game.

During the pre-finals press conference Monday, Smith declared he’s ready to play and determined to help TNT achieve its goal of reclaiming the Commissioner’s Cup crown it has held twice in 2011 and 2015.

The 350-pound Smith will be pitted in a keenly awaited matchup with 260-pounder June Mar Fajardo—the former touted for his brute force and the latter gifted with shiftiness and a soft touch from around the basket.

The Texters subdued the Beermen, 112-103, in their elims matchup on May 5. Fajardo, however, was on loan to Gilas Pilipinas while Smith had yet to complete his commitment with his NBA D-League team then.

Coaches Ariel Vanguardia of Phoenix Petroleum and Chris Gavina of Mahindra foresee “a hell of a battle” if Smith can play.

GlobalPort coach Franz Pumaren, meanwhile, said Smith should at least match the numbers of Charles Rhodes for the Texters to have a chance of winning the series.

“San Miguel has an import that is tailor-made for them. He can score, he can rebound and he can defend. Then they have June Mar Fajardo who also plays like an import,” said Pumaren.

San Miguel coach Leo Austria expects Kelly Williams to be the one to take on Rhodes.

Austria is not just concerned with Smith but also with the Texters’ gunners in their dreaded dribble-drive offense.

“They did their homework in acquiring RR Garcia and Anthony Semerad. They are additional shooters to the team’s old gunners in Jayson Castro, Ryan Reyes, RR Pogoy and Ranidel de Ocampo,” said Austria.

The SMB mentor believes TNT has a deeper bench as he’s usually limited to a mere rotation of eight to nine players with starters Rhodes, Fajardo, Marcio Lassiter, Alex Cabagnot at Chris Ross and substitutes Arwind Santos, Ronald Tubid, Gabby Espinas and Brian Heruela.

Rhodes averages 27.38 points, 10.19 rebounds, 1.8 assists, 1.7 blocks and 1.2 steals while Smith norms 20.78 points, 12.3 rebounds and 2.5 assists.

Fajardo (15.6) Cabagnot (15.1), Ross (13.19) and Santos (10.5) are four local SMB players who average double-digit outputs.

Castro (16.8), Pogoy (12.1), De Ocampo (9.94) and Williams (8.17), meanwhile, are TNT’s leading local threats.

Mike Myers will stay confined behind the TNT bench while the team observes the condition of Smith in Game One.

Smith was still walking with a limp as he attended the pre-final press conference, which was also graced by Myers as an observer. They took lunch sitting next to each other.