PBA: Talk 'N Text Tropang Texters Philippine Cup preview

Last Philippine Cup: The Texters finished tied for the best record after the elimination round with B-MEG. They then eliminated Barako Bull, survived a seven-game series against arch-rivals Petron, and finally pulled off a gentleman's sweep against Powerade in the Finals for back-to-back Philippine Cup wins. Offseason Moves: The biggest offseason move for the Talk N’ Text Tropang Texters starts at the top. Their head coach, Chot Reyes departed after last season, to take on the coaching duties for the National Team. TNT is losing a coach who led them to multiple championships, several Finals appearances and numerous big wins. That said, replacing him will be one of the most successful coaches in the country, Norman Black. While this isn’t such a big move given Black’s active presence on the bench these past few years as a consultant, adjustments will still have to be made by the entire team. Another loss for Talk N’ Text is Japeth Aguilar, who really only played with them full-time last season after a stint with Smart Gilas. At the most, the team is losing out on a young, athletic big man who was due for a breakout season. At the very least, they are losing a rotation big who could have been developed by Black, his former collegiate coach. Three keys to being successful in the Philippine Cup 1. Healthy Tropang Texters - The biggest obstacle to the consistent championship runs of the Tropang Texters is their health. Last season, they were at their best when they had their full, 10-man deep rotation. The team was able to rest players for the playoff round by dividing up the minutes, and there was no talent drop-off between the starters and the bench. Most importantly, they were able to play a pedal-to-the-metal Talk N’ Text style. As soon as key players started going down though, other players were suddenly logging heavier minutes and their style of play had to change. If Talk N’ Text can stay healthy, they are, no doubt, a Finals contender, but that's a big if. 2. The Norman Black System - The Norman Black System isn’t that much different from the system Chot Reyes ran when he was at the helm. It’s one that is based on running and getting easy points off the misses of other teams. The one big difference is that Black likes playing an inside-outside progression and prefers his offense to come from the paint. With this minor modification, Jayson Castro and Ranidel De Ocampo will be important players for Black. The Blur is one of the best at attacking the basket and attracting the defense. De Ocampo has polished post moves and a consistent outside jumper. Look for these two to play even bigger roles this season. 3. Defense wins championships - If there’s one thing Norman Black is known for, it’s his defensive approach to the game. Expect him to bring a renewed defensive mentality to this squad. He certainly has all the tools necessary to make this team a lockdown defensive team. Ryan Reyes and Larry Fonacier are arguably the best perimeter defenders in the league today. Kelly Williams is a versatile and athletic defender. Ali Peek is a rock in the middle. If everyone buys into his system, this will be an even stingier and tougher Tropang Texters squad next season. What’s the one thing that scares Talk 'N Text fans? Sometimes status quo is not enough. Over the past couple of years, Talk N’ Text has been one of the most talented teams in the league. While they still remain one of the deepest squads in the league, a lot of other teams have vastly improved their line-ups and made big changes in the offseason. In particular, the SMC franchises, Petron, Ginebra and San Mig, have all reloaded or revamped their line-ups for the upcoming season. In contrast, the Tropang Texters are still playing the same core for the past few years. While it's gotten them great success, TNT has to be careful that they don't get left behind in what is increasingly an ultra-competitive league. How this will likely play out:  The Talk N’ Text Tropang Texters are still the back-to-back Philippine Cup champions. Until they are unseated, they will always be automatic favorites to win the championship. That said, the team will have to make adjustments given the new coach and system for this year. They will also have to step up their level of play, develop new wrinkles to their game individually and as a team to match the improvement of the rest of the league. At the end of the day though, they are still one of the most complete teams. They have a line-up with shooters, slashers, post players, defensive stoppers and role players. They have poise, chemistry and leadership. Simply put, the Tropang Texters know how to win. They will be gunning for a three-peat in the Philippine Cup, and given that Talk N’ Text is in the business of winning championships, anything short of that will be considered a failure by this team. - AMD, GMA News