THE SPARK SHOWING KINGS THE WAY

THE SPARK SHOWING KINGS THE WAY

[

EXPECT Mark Caguioa's game to rise when the stakes are higher.

The man nicknamed "The Spark" displayed this anew last Sunday when he came up big in Barangay Ginebra's cliffhanger of an 87-85 win over Petron Blaze that stoked its bid in the PBA Governors’ Cup semifinals at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

Cedric Bozeman came up with the game-winner, but it was the Accel-PBA Press Corps Player of the Week for the period July 2 to 8 who pointed the Kings in the right direction by notching game-highs of 25 points and six assists to go with six rebounds.

The performance came on the heels of a relatively bland outing in an 89-76 win against Meralco at the start of the five-game semis last Friday, when Caguioa "only" had 10 markers.

Still, Caguioa came up with two-game averages of 17.5 points, 4.5 rebounds and 3.5 assists to emerge as the most consistent local in the week that was and coach Siot Tanquingcen said it is all because of the 2001 Rookie of the Year coming of age in both mind and game.

"He is more mature now," said Tanquingcen. "He is still the scorer that he was when he started out n this league. But now he is finding other ways to help his team, be it sa scoring, passing or even rebounding."

Caguioa did just those against Petron, scattering eight of his points and also dishing off three of his dimes in the fourth period.

The Boosters also showed respect to Caguioa by putting import Marcus Faison on him in the game's most critical play in the dying seconds, denying him the chance to become the full hero.

Tanquingcen is certain Caguioa would have risen to the occasion had his drawn-up play for his star guard to have the ball not been foiled.

"Mark has always been a winner," noted Tanquingcen. "He is willing to take the risk and it usually pays off. Bihira ang mga players na ganoon and that's what sets him apart from other good players, that attitude."

Those victories pushed Ginebra's overall win-loss record to 7-4, good for just a half-game deficit to second-running B-Meg. Two more wins and Ginebra is assured of at least playing off for the second Finals slot.

Tanquingcen is adamant in the knowledge Caguioa is foremost among his players who will show them the way. "Hahanap siya ng paraan," he stated. (NC)

Source: PBA.PH