Warning: Undefined variable $column_strips in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 78
3-point barrage in Ginebra win came unexpected for Aguilar
Warning: Undefined variable $column_strips in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 153
Warning: Undefined variable $nocontent in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 236
Warning: Undefined variable $iscovid in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 239
Warning: Undefined variable $FEAT_STORIES in /var/www/pba/single2017/addfunction-ondemand-gitlab-taboola.php on line 685
Warning: foreach() argument must be of type array|object, bool given in /var/www/pba/single2017/addfunction-ondemand-gitlab-taboola.php on line 688
Warning: Undefined array key 0 in /var/www/pba/single2017/addfunction-ondemand-gitlab-taboola.php on line 730
BOCAUE – He was given the license to shoot so Japeth Aguilar obliged.
Urged to not shy away from beyond the arc, the lengthy forward went bonkers from three, going on a perfect 5-of-5 clip for a career-high 32 points to lead Ginebra to an 86-79 win over Star on Christmas Day at the massive Philippine Arena.
“This is one of those moments in my basketball career that I never expected,” said Aguilar, a career 23-percent shooter from rainbow country. “At first I was hesitant to shoot a three-pointer, but when I took the first shot, it went in and I was happy.”
Aguilar shared that his hot shooting came as a surprise even to him, as he only wanted to follow coach Tim Cone’s orders to take charge and be Ginebra’s anchor on the defensive end.
“I was surprised with my offensive performance because my focus was to be honest was on defense, which was what coach Tim wanted to come from me. If you ask him, he has seven fundamentals on defense and he wants me to be an anchor on defense,” he said.
The Grand Slam-winning mentor wanted Aguilar to keep up with former players and Star mainstays Marc Pingris and Rafi Reavis, which is the reason why Aguilar was on his toes all game long, urging the Gin Kings to hold their fort on defense.
“They [Pingris, Reavis] were always the examples because they are committed defenders and I hold them as my
benchmarks. From the beginning of the game, I was just yelling to my teammates to stay low, play defense and you know, it’s true that offense will come in once you play defense.”
Cone said that from the start, Aguilar has had a green light to shoot and exploit Star’s defensive holes.
“We’ve been encouraging him to shoot threes and he hit his threes tonight. That’s a huge weapon that maybe we can continue to use and develop that as we go along.”
So promising was Aguilar’s performance that even Cone compared him to someone familiar: Japeth’s father, Peter.
“If you remember, I coached his dad Peter. And Peter was like the best shooting big man I’ve ever seen. So when I first saw Japeth, he looked exactly the same, same form, everything,” the winningest mentor in PBA history said. “Japeth has great form and great ability to be that kind of player that can shoot shots like that. His dad was lights out. So I’m not surprised by it. Hopefully, we don’t live by it, but that is a nice weapon to keep.”
Though the job is far from over with still a long conference to go, Aguilar wants to first savor this moment as Ginebra ends the year on a positive note.
“It’s a special moment in my career because sooner or later, I’m going look back in this game and say that I was part of this game, one of the greatest rivalries in the PBA,” he said.
Warning: Undefined array key "TESTPAGE" in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 254
Warning: Undefined array key "fb" in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 280
Warning: Undefined variable $thinq in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 318
Warning: Undefined variable $var_sports_vlurb in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 328
Warning: Undefined variable $mindanaoQuake2019 in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 442
Warning: Undefined variable $showSolicit_batanes in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 459
Warning: Undefined variable $seagames in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 475
Warning: Undefined variable $tokyoOlympics2020 in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 481
Warning: Undefined variable $help_taal in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 490
Warning: Undefined variable $help_ompong in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 525
Warning: Undefined variable $elections_2019 in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 538
Warning: Undefined variable $typhoon_2018_redirect in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 543
Warning: Undefined variable $ncov2020 in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 555
Warning: Undefined variable $tyhoon2020_marthon in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 578
Warning: Undefined variable $dotnet23 in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 585
Warning: Undefined variable $suicide in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 595
Warning: Undefined variable $yearend2020 in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 600
Warning: Undefined array key "inqplus_test" in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 609
Warning: Undefined array key "newreadnext" in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 664
Warning: Undefined array key "test" in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 802
EDITORS' PICK
Warning: Undefined variable $data_for_HompageFG_obj in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 816
Warning: foreach() argument must be of type array|object, null given in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 819
Warning: Undefined variable $MR_data_for_obj in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 850
Warning: foreach() argument must be of type array|object, null given in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 850
Subscribe to INQUIRER PLUS to get access to The Philippine Daily Inquirer & other 70+ titles, share up to 5 gadgets, listen to the news, download as early as 4am & share articles on social media. Call 896 6000.
Warning: Undefined variable $bc_tag in /var/www/pba/single2017/body-gitlab.php on line 1239
