Louie Alas is more concerned with how the Phoenix Fuel Masters played in a 108-97 loss to the Alaska Aces last Wednesday than he is with Friday's matchup against TNT KaTropa.
The setback ended the Fuel Masters' two-game winning streak to kick off the 2018 PBA Governors' Cup campaign.
Adding to the concerns is import Eugene Phelps' sprained ankle sustained during the loss to the Aces.
"Eugene has a swollen ankle and today he just had it on ice to reduce the swelling. But if the swelling subsides, he'll be good to play. By [Friday] morning we will already know," Alas told ESPN5 Thursday night.
The Fuel Masters won the battle of the boards against the Aces, 53-47 mainly due to the solid efforts of Phelps and Calvin Abueva, who was in beast mode against his former team.
Phelps finished with 27 points and 24 rebounds, while Abueva added 18 points and nine rebounds.
Phelps though accounted for eight of his team's 19 turnovers, while Abueva was just 5-of-14 from the floor overall.
Alas said the KaTropa's 1-3 record masks one of the most explosive rosters in the league.
"TNT has one of the strongest lineups in the PBA so that team is really loaded," he said. "We just need to have the willingness to compete."
Aside from Gilas mainstay Jayson Castro, other locals to watch for TNT include Terrence Romeo, RR Pogoy and Troy Rosario.
For the KaTropa coach Nash Racela, he hopes their four-day respite is good enough to get new import Stacy Davis into the system.
Davis, the Pepperdine U standout averaged 23.5 points, 14 rebounds and 3.5 assists in his first two games for TNT that ended in losses to Blackwater and Alaska.
The KaTropa's 1-3 start matches their dismal start in the 2016 Commissioner's Cup.