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Manila Bulletin devider Sports devider Basketball devider 'Sana kami naman': Trillo hopes Meralco overcomes hump for first PH Cup finals

'Sana kami naman': Trillo hopes Meralco overcomes hump for first PH Cup finals

Published May 31, 2024 02:19 am

At A Glance

  • Meralco head coach Luigi Trillo is hoping that his team finally overcomes the hump and score its first ever Philippine Cup Finals – a pedestal that for the past six seasons was only shared among four teams in San Miguel, Barangay Ginebra, Magnolia and TNT.
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Meralco head coach Luigi Trillo is hoping that his team will finally overcome the hump and score its first ever Philippine Cup Finals – a pedestal that for the past six seasons was only shared among four teams in San Miguel, Barangay Ginebra, Magnolia and TNT.

 

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“Sana kami naman,” said Trillo who believes the franchise’s first-ever PH Cup finals appearance is already ripe for the taking after being one of the league's consistent performers in the last few conferences.

“It’s good for the league. I think we earned it and we have a lot of respect for Ginebra and in what they do. We know it’s gonna be hard but we’ve been there, the last eight (conferences) we’ve been there for the six semifinals and that’s very hard to do,” he added.

San Miguel already booked its spot in the finals and Meralco is hoping to arrange the big dance – becoming the first team outside the aforementioned four teams to make it to the finals since Alaska made it also against SMB back in 2016.

The Bolts staved off elimination with an 87-82 victory in Game 6 and put themselves in their closest chance of making it to the finals for the league’s crowning jewel.

Trillo, however, is in no illusion that the Game 7 win will be given to the Bolts, knowing full well that they have to earn it against the Kings and prove that they are worthy for the spot.

For one, history has been unforgiving for Meralco which has lost all of its six best-of-seven series – four against Ginebra. On top of that, Kings head coach Tim Cone has never tasted defeat in the last five Game 7s he participated in or since Bmeg lost to Rain or Shine back in 2012.

But the Bolts are ready, assured Trillo.

“It’s a privilege for us and we have to go out  there and go get it. I said it right after Game 5 buo ang loob namin sa mga ito and we knew it wasn't over and we treated it that way,” Trillo said of his wards.

If there’s something that is encouraging for the part of Meralco heading into the very first out-of-town Game 7 in league history, it is that his team had been used to playing on the road and is actually performing well.

Meralco has defeated powerhouse teams on the road, San Miguel and  Magnolia among their victims, this season, and Ginebra just recently in the Game 3 of their semis series in Dasmarinas, Cavite.

“We've been doing well on the road, we're confident too,” said Trillo. “ We believe it and now it‘s out there for the taking. We have to prove it. We have to go get it. Hindi iyon ibibigay sa’min.”

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