MANILA, Philippines – It’s easy to pin the blame on TNT’s reinforcement. After all, its lone win came when the KaTropa fielded an all-Filipino lineup. 

But Jayson Castro thinks the import isn’t to blame even as the KaTropa dropped three of their first four games in the 2018 PBA Governors’ Cup. 

“Hindi na import ‘yung problema namin,” Castro said after TNT absorbed a 96-125 drubbing from Alaska on Sunday, August 26.

“Nanalo kami na walang import then may import, parang ‘yung energy namin, parang ganoon ‘di ba, dalawang games na sunod so siguro hindi na ‘yung import eh. ‘Yung locals talaga – kami.”

(Our import is no longer the problem. We won without an import, then lost with an import. It’s like we couldn’t sustain our energy. So maybe the import is not the problem but us locals.) 

After deciding to part ways with Mike Glover following their conference-opening 90-103 loss to NLEX, things looked brighter for the KaTropa when they defeated Meralco, 92-90, even with an all-Filipino lineup.

However, TNT returned to its losing ways in import Stacy Davis’ PBA debut as it absorbed a 98-104 overtime loss to Blackwater last Friday, August 24. 

The KaTropa’s struggles were then typified in an embarrassing rout as the Fuel Masters dealt them the second most lopsided loss this season. 

In those two setbacks, Davis had been a double-double performer, logging in an average of 24.5 points, 14.0 rebounds and 3.5 assists per game. 

“Kailangan may mangyaring iba sa amin. Kailangan ‘yung mindset namin, ibahin namin. Kasi nasa players, hindi na sa coaches o kung sino man. Kami ‘yung naglalaro sa loob eh. So walang dapat sisihin kundi kami,” Castro said. 

(We need to shake things up. We need to change our mindset because the players are the ones responsible for the results. We are the ones playing, so the blame should be on us.) 

TNT has barely a week to regroup before it shoots for a win against the undefeated Phoenix on Friday, August 31, at the Araneta Coliseum. – Rappler.com