Without Calvin Abueva and Arvin Tolentino, Joshua Munzon needs to do some heavy lifting for NorthPort in their clash against TNT in the PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup.
Win-starved NorthPort Batang Pier face another daunting challenge as they go up against a red-hot TNT Tropang 5G squad in the PBA Season 49 Philippine Cup on Friday, May 30.
The match starts at 5 p.m. at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.
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Now 1-6, NorthPort is clinging to slim mathematical hopes of a playoff berth. But the path to redemption only gets steeper with key pieces missing.
Arvin Tolentino is set to miss the game, while newly acquired Calvin Abueva, who arrived in a trade with Magnolia for William Navarro, won’t be suiting up yet in a Batang Pier uniform.
NorthPort, which dropped its last six outings, will have to dig deep to stay competitive against a TNT side that’s finally found its rhythm. The Tropang 5G have won four straight after opening the conference with three straight defeats, and are surging toward a Top 4 finish.
With depth issues and momentum not on their side, the Batang Pier must rely on a collective effort to stun the streaking Tropang Giga and keep their faint playoff hopes alive.
(With reports from Jan Ballesteros)
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[Editor's note: This article was written by a member of the One Sports Digital with the help of AI, and then checked by the staff to ensure accuracy.]