After breakthrough win, Kings look ahead

After breakthrough win, Kings look ahead

A LITTLE trust can go a long way.

Just ask Ginebra coach Alfrancis Chua, who said his charges’ continued belief in themselves and each other enabled them to finally snap out of their funk in the PBA Commissioner’s Cup.

“I told them: ‘Believe in yourself, believe in your teammates,’ na maniwala lang sa isa’t-isa. I also told them to play some basketball. Buti naman nag-react,” Chua said after the Kings posted a 93-72 victory over Barako Bull last Wednesday at the Smart Araneta Coliseum.

The win was the first in five games for Ginebra, made possible by what Chua said was a newfound confidence in the team that went into the Energy Cola match still hurting from a 69-84 drubbing inflicted by Alaska.

“When we lost against Alaska I was not mad. I told my players, ‘I trust in you. I hope you still trust yourselves,’” he related.

Although Ginebra remained in the cellar, Chua expects better things from the team he started handling only just before the mid-season conference started.

The Barako game, he said, would go a long way.

“They’re enjoying,” said Chua. “’Yung mga assists, nagpapasahan na. Nagkatiwala na rin sila sa import.”

Vernon Macklin seems ready to give the Kings good reason to put the bitter memories of Herbert Hill behind them as he wound up with 21 points, 14 rebounds and four assists.

The 26-year-old former Detroit Piston scored 10 of his points during a 20-6 exchange that stretched Ginebra’s halftime lead to 59-35, before allowing his teammates to take charge in extending the lead to a high of 84-56.

Macklin was just staying true to his pre-game words, according to Chua.

“He said in practice, ‘I may be your import but I’m only human. I’m here to defend, get those rebounds and score a bit. But don’t disrupt your game because of me,’” related Chua.

“Isa pa, compared to the other imports, ‘yung iba malakas kung malakas. Pero ito namamasa. ‘Yung iba puro lakas.”

Mark Caguioa scored a game-high 23 points to lead two other locals in double digit scoring for Ginebra, which made 33 of 45 shots compared to its 28-for-87 clip against Alaska.

“Sabi ko nga after the Alaska game, ‘We can’t make a basket despite open shots.’ Sabi ko, bakit ganun? Siguro kumpiyansa, about believing,” said Chua.

Ginebra’s defense also clicked, with the Kings stifling the Energy Cola into making just 25 of 74 shots, including 15-of-35 in the second half.

Evan Brock and Josh Urbiztondo were limited to 16 points apiece while the Energy Cola, as a whole, were harassed into committing 23 turnovers and eventually absorbed their second loss in five games.

The road ahead remains rocky but Chua said his charges’ reinforced attitude would surely make their task doable.

“Basta tuloy lang ‘yung pagtitiwala sa sarili, sa isa’t-isa. Sabi ko nga, it’s a matter of believing,” he said.

Source: Malaya.com.ph