TNT Tropang Giga looks forward to its rematch with the Chiba Jets in the East Asia Super League Season 2 three weeks from now.
Tropang Giga coach Jojo Lastimosa guarantees the Tropang Giga will be a much better team than the one that lost steam against the Jets during the league’s season opener on Wednesday night.
“We will be better against them in Manila,” said Lastimosa following their 75-93 loss at the jampacked Funabashi Arena.
The two sides meet again on 1 November in Sta. Rosa, Laguna.
Lastimosa’s optimism stems from TNT having two good imports in Rondae
Hollis-Jefferson and Quincy Miller, who carried most of the load for the team despite playing together for just a short period of time.
Hollis-Jefferson didn’t join the team until a day prior to its departure to Japan as the
28-year-old former NBA player came straight from Hangzhou, China where he suited up for the Jordan national team that won the silver medal in the 19th Asian Games men’s basketball competitions behind Gilas Pilipinas.
“We are two weeks in, and Rondae just came in Sunday without any practice,” Lastimosa said.
Miller finished with a game-high of 22 points, six rebounds, and three steals, while
Hollis-Jefferson added 15 points, nine rebounds, and five assists, though he was held to just 21 percent shooting overall.
“This time around, we have two good imports…. great imports in Rondae and Quincy. That’s the reason why I’m confident this season will be much better than the last time we were here.”
TNT ended up winless the last time it played during the EASL Champions Week last March.
The Tropang Giga were also without several key players including Gilas pool members Calvin Oftana, Roger Pogoy, and Poy Erram, along with Filipino-American guard Mikey Williams.
With less firepower, the team couldn’t keep in stride with a Chiba side that features naturalized player Ira Brown and imports DJ Stephens and Justyn Mutts, losing an early seven-point spread when the Jets began to step on the gas pedal bridging the closing minutes of the first half and the early minutes of the third period.
“Obviously, we played really well in the first half. We stayed with them, both on offense and defense. But in the second half, we lost our stamina,” Lastimosa said.
