TNT aims to 'work harder, give best' as PBA Grand Slam talks loom, says Chot

Is TNT gunning for a PBA Grand Slam this season?

TNT on Friday won the PBA Commissioner's Cup after beating Barangay Ginebra in Game 7 of the finals. This is the Tropang Giga's second straight title this season after claiming the Governors' Cup crown last conference.

If TNT wins the upcoming Philippine Cup, the Tropang Giga will be the fifth team to clinch the rare feat which already happened five times in the league. 

As much as head coach Chot Reyes wanted to dismiss talks about it, he acknowledged that the possibility of getting the rare feat is now right in front of them.

"I guess it couldn't be avoided at this point," said TNT head coach Chot Reyes.

"I acknowledge that fact now. There's going to be tremendous pressure on us. There's going to be a huge target on our backs, of course. Eleven other teams are going to do their darn best to stop us."

Unlike the past two conferences, TNT will now fight for the title without Rondae Hollis-Jefferson. Reyes, however, believes his players' fighting spirit is impeccable.

"As you can see, we don't really have the best talent. We really don't have the deepest bench. But there's something in our players. They just refuse to quit. That's what we're going to bring into this next conference," Reyes said.

"I've learned all through my life that if you work hard, you put yourself in a good chance that good things will happen. It's not a guarantee, but at least you put yourself in a good position. That's what we've done."

Heading into the next conference, Reyes said the Tropang Giga will just try to do better and work harder.

"With this victory, we have put ourselves in that position. You can bet that we're going to come out and work even harder and try our best. Not necessarily to capture the Grand Slam, but because there's another tournament, another competition in front of us. That's what we're going to aim for."

The Crispa Redmanizers won the Grand Slam in 1976 under legendary coach Baby Dalupan and in 1983 under Tommy Manotoc. San Miguel, under Norman Black, completed the Grand Slam in 1989. Tim Cone, meanwhile, has two Grand Slam seasons under his belt, the first one being with Alaska in 1996 and the other with San Mig Coffee in 2013-2014.

—JKC, GMA Integrated News