Hill wishes Ginebra well as lackluster import leaves with heavy heart

HERBERT Hill is leaving Barangay Ginebra with a heavy heart.

Jeered by the multitude of loyal Kings fans for his sheer lack of impact, the 6-foot-9 Hill quietly walked away from the team’s dugout a few minutes after Ginebra slumped to its third straight loss in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup - a 90-105 rout at the hands of sister-team Petron.

Hill is going back home having failed to steer the Kings to a single win in his brief stint with the league's most popular club, but found solace in knowing he gave it his best shot.

“It’s a tough team to play for. Well, what can I do? I play my hardest for my teammates, but it just didn’t work out,” Hill confided to Spin.ph at the parking lot of the Smart-Araneta Coliseum.

Hill ended his three-game PBA stint with 16 points, 11 rebounds and six turnovers. The second-round pick of the Utah Jazz (55th overall) in the 2007 NBA draft played just nine minutes in the second half as new coach Alfrancis Chua opted to go all-Filipino, a ploy that momentarily worked as the Kings managed to cut a once imposing 20-point lead to 13 late in the fourth.

But the Boosters just had too much firepower in the end.

Hill said it was unfortunate for Ginebra to start the campaign on the wrong foot due to coaching changes and a new system which took time to get used to.

“The team switched coach, had a different style and everything, and a lot of other stuff that happened. But again, I didn’t play as good as I could have because I missed some shots that I normally make,” said the 28-year-old Hill.

The import said he’s leaving the country on Tuesday, and hopes to latch on to a new basketball job either in the Middle East or in Europe soon.

And his last words for the struggling Kings?

“I told them that it’s a pleasure playing with these guys. Basketball is a game of bounces. I know they will bounce back. I wish them all the luck,” he concluded.

Follow the writer on Twitter: @richava

source: spin.ph

Kung tutuusin ok ka nman panget lang tlga laro ng mga local player