PLAYING HIS ROLE TO THE HILT
With Purefoods clawing back into the game in the fourth quarter, San Miguel Beer’s Ronald Tubid got hold of the ball and hit it from the right wing against two Hotshot defenders as the shot clock wound down.
Fortunately, the ball found the bottom of the net.
“Sabihin na lang nating tsamba,” Tubid said.
But something not dependent on luck is his tenacity on the floor, as his defense helped San Miguel remain unscathed after two games.
The Fearless came off the bench and scored eight points in the payoff period to finish with 16, aside from hauling down five boards in the victory.
So far, Tubid has flourished in his new role under coach Leo Austria.
“Ready lang kami kasi kami yung pinapasok pag lamang o para makapagpahinga yung mga starters. Magpapahinga yung starters, kami ang magme-maintain o magpapahabol. Yun lang ang role namin sa team,” he said.
Being a part of the second group also allows Tubid to fire up the energy when the starters sit, saying, “Sabi nga ni coach, wag mag-relax yung mga starters kasi nandun yung second group para ilevel yung intensity.”
Once one of the deadliest gunners in the PBA, Tubid has accepted his role as a defender for the stacked Beermen team, as he bared, “Pag naka-shoot kami, bonus na yun. Pag nataon na nasa amin yung bola, shoot lang, pero ang focus is sa defense talaga.” (RL)
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