Red-hot Phoenix tests TNT strength

MANILA, Philippines — Phoenix and Converge are out to continue whipping up a storm in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup as they tackle separate foes in today’s double-header at the Ynares Center in Antipolo.

Weather-permitting, the Fuel Masters (4-3) stake their league-best four-game streak against bounceback-seeking TNT (3-3) at 6:45 p.m. while the FiberXers (4-2) target their fourth straight win versus Blackwater (3-4) at 4:30 p.m.

Phoenix now carries the “hottest team” tag and coach Topex Robinson is making sure his bunch of overachieving youngsters would stay grounded.

“Yes, we look at the standings pero sabi namin, why put so much energy on the things na hindi namin kontrolado? We don’t look at where we are or where they (opponents) are. This is a very young team so we just put everything on how to grow,” said Robinson.

The Fuel Masters, a vastly different crew from the one that started the campaign at 0-3, are looking to prey on TNT after previously clipping NLEX, Ginebra, Meralco and Rain or Shine.

The Tropang Giga are on a redeem mode coming off Friday’s stunning 130-117 setback to the FiberXers.

“We have to have consistency in effort. In all our six games, we haven’t started strong yet so we have to address that,” said TNT mentor Chot Reyes, whose troops even trailed Converge by as many as 35 points last time.

“We seem to have a hard time playing the game at our pace and I think it’s the problem that we have to figure out fast.”

He also tasked his troops to dial up on defense after allowing Converge to shoot loads of buckets.

The FiberXers have been on a tear under debuting tactician Aldin Ayo, counting three heavyweights – TNT, defending champion San Miguel Beer (106-102) and Meralco (106-99) – as their latest victims.

“Slowly naa-absorb na ng mga players yung ginagawa namin, especially yung approach sa laro. Everybody knows we’re going to keep the pace and yun ang nakukuha na ng mga players,” said Ayo.

Converge shot the lights out in the disposal of TNT by making a whopping 21 three-point conversions.