Japeth Aguilar's Inside Presence: A Big Problem for TNT

  • Nov 30, 2020
  • BASKETBALL
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How big a problem is Japeth Aguilar for TNT?

25 points. 16 rebounds. 11 for 14 field goal shooting. Those were the numbers Aguilar put up in Game One of the Philippine Basketball Association (PBA) Philippine Cup Finals on Sunday that was won in overtime by the Barangay Ginebra Gin Kings, 100-94. Four of Ginebra's eight points during the extra period came from Aguilar with his last basket being a dunk that sealed the final score.

In contrast, the big men of the TNT Tropang Giga had no answer to the inside dominance of Aguilar.

Jay Washington had 14 points as a starter. JP Erram only had 10 points and 10 rebounds off the bench. Troy Rosario continued with his battle against inconsistency as he finished with eight points in 27 minutes.

It doesn't help TNT that Japeth Aguilar has the height advantage over Erram and Rosario. Erram stands at six-foot-eight and Rosario is at six-foot-seven. Aguilar meanwhile is at six-foot-nine. That height advantage enabled Aguilar to get six offensive rebounds on Sunday- two more than the combined number of offensive rebounds that Washington, Rosario, and Erram had. More importantly, Aguilar knows how to use his upper body strength against that thin frontline of TNT to get dunks and easy points down low. If TNT doesn't make the necessary adjustments to limit the inside presence of Japeth Aguilar come Game Two and beyond, this championship series will be a long one for the Tropang Giga

Stanley Pringle will remain as the main offensive threat for Ginebra but TNT has guys like Ray Parks, RR Pogoy, and Jayson Castro to go toe-to-toe against Pringle. Against Japeth Aguilar? That's a different problem. 

For a guy who averaged 12 points, nine rebounds, and 1.6 blocks in their five-game semifinal series against the Meralco Bolts, Japeth Aguilar is off to a big start in the PBA Finals inside the Clark bubble. 

As one fan tweeted after Sunday's game, "When Japeth locks in and stops making basketball so complicated, man is he a treat to watch"

Photo is from Manila Bulletin