Ginebra fans motivate TNT

March 14, 2025 | 12:00am

MANILA, Philippines — TNT team manager Jojo Lastimosa isn’t fazed by the loud Ginebra crowd and said it’s actually a motivation for the Tropa to try to silence the noise in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup Finals that start at the SM Mall of Asia Arena tonight.

“Back in the ‘90s when (Sonny) Jaworksi was playing, the Ginebra fans were probably 10 times rowdier than how they are today,” said Lastimosa. Ginebra assistant coach Richard del Rosario said the Ginebra fans are both a blessing and curse. “It’s a blessing because they inspire us but it could be a curse because they motivate the other team to play harder,” he said.

Both Lastimosa and Del Rosario said moving venues in the Finals provides an interesting twist. From Games 1 and 2 at the MOA Arena, the series will shift to PhilSports Arena for Game 3 then Ynares Center, Antipolo, for Game 4 and Smart Araneta Coliseum for Games 5, 6 and 7 if necessary.

Lastimosa conceded that Ginebra is deeper and plays a longer rotation but said there are pitfalls. “I think coach Tim (Cone) faces a lot of dilemmas, choosing which players to play while we know who our five best players are,” he said. Del Rosario said he expects Japeth Aguilar to play a key role in the Finals. Aguilar, 37, averaged 17.4 points in the semifinals, shooting .556 from the field. Lastimosa said Calvin Oftana will do some heavy lifting, adding that Rey Nambatac has to step up and Glenn Khobuntin will be in the platoon to defend Justin Brownlee. “We’ve lost Jayson (Castro) but we don’t expect Rey to play like Jayson, only to be efficient,” said Lastimosa. “Justin isn’t as tall as the other imports so Glenn can match up.”

Lastimosa said he’s bracing for a tough and exciting series. “I know Ginebra will go all out to win Game 1 but in the 2023 Governors’  Cup, they also won Game 1 but we took the series, 4-2,” he said. “It’s a series and it won’t be decided in the first game.”