Saddled with foul trouble, Rice had no doubt TNT locals could get job done
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
Glen Rice Jr. bobbed his head and bust out some dance moves as loudspeakers blared hip-hop music throughout the arena during a timeout late in the fourth quarter.
Rice had just picked up his fifth foul at the 4:58 mark of the fourth quarter with TNT protecting a 95-83 lead against a Barangay Ginebra team capable of coming back instantly in a game the KaTropa couldn’t afford to lose.
There was no hint of anxiousness in Rice despite being limited to a spectator on the bench due to foul trouble with Ginebra primed for one last run.
Rice’s cool demeanor isn’t because of complacency, but rather of confidence that his teammates will get the job done.
“I wasn’t really worried because I believe in the guys and I know they could take it from there,” Rice told reporters after TNT overcame his foul woes and Ginebra’s repeated rallies for a 103-96 win at Batangas City Coliseum Wednesday night.
“Of course, you don’t wanna be on the bench but I wasn’t that nervous at all. We got a lot of great players so I wasn’t really that worried at all.”
True enough, the locals stepped up in the absence of Rice, who missed the entire third quarter after being called for his fourth foul with still three minutes left in the first half.
Jayson Castro, Troy Rosario and Roger Pogoy carried much of the scoring load in the third period. The star guard fired 11 of his 20 points in the third alone.
“I think it backfired-putting Glen into foul trouble early because the locals played well together which gave Rice the whole third to rest. He came out fresh in the fourth,” said TNT coach Nash Racela.
The 26-year-old Rice was rejuvenated at the start of the fourth quarter. He made up for lost time and scored 12 of his team-high 21 points in the first seven minutes of the final frame until he committed his fifth foul.
“I didn’t play in the third so I had the opportunity to come out there a little fresher. Like it or not, I got into foul trouble so early in the game. But it was what it was,” said Rice, who was selected late in the second round by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 2013 NBA Draft.
“My teammates did a great job of lifting us up. And when I came in the fourth, we were already winning, so it made our job a lot easier.”
There were a few questionable calls, but Rice said his fouls were due to his aggressiveness right from the opening tip.
“I think our energy was better. We were scrambling a little more, we were a little feisty that’s why a couple of us got into foul trouble. Our energy was so high that we almost played a lttle too hard but not that smart. But it ended up good for us,” he said.
The KaTropa redeemed themselves after suffering a 121-94 rout in Game 1, but after a gutsy win in Game 2, they’re confident that they can make it back-to-back.
“We know what we gonna do to beat this team. We gotta play hard, we gotta have the same energy and effort that we had tonight. And I think we’ll be successful if we do that.”
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