“IT’S BAD COACHING”
That’s how Alaska coach Alex Compton summed up his Aces’ 101-93 defeat against Talk ‘N Text on Sunday.
From being down by as much as 25, Alaska came alive in the fourth period and battled back, just for Tropang Texters import Ivan Johnson and Jayson Castro to seal the door shut on the Aces.
“I was really proud of our guys fighting back today. We fought back so hard, it’s just we keep on digging ourselves in those holes. We can’t do that every game,” he said.
The affair was also marred by late-game verbal tussles and confrontations on the court that even spilled over to the locker room tunnel where things got heated between both camps.
“I don’t curse. I’m not a fighter. If I were, he would squash me in 10 seconds. That’s like a lightweight versus a heavyweight,” Compton said.
Not going into the particulars of the incident, the Tagalog-speaking American coach took the blame for the exchange of words with Johnson and apologized to the opposing squad.
“I got pretty upset, but that doesn’t matter. I’m in control of me and I didn’t control myself. It shouldn’t take anything out of coach Jong (Uichico)’s gameplan,” he said. “”I got outcoached, they beat us, and they deserved the win.”
Compton also said, “I needed to learn a lesson after that. That’s one of the building pillars of our team: you honor people. The referees, your opponents, your coaches, the fans, you have to honor them. I’m sorry to the PBA fans and Talk ‘N Text. I got to be better than that.”
The loss puts Alaska (4-6) on a precarious position going into the homestretch of the 2015 PBA Commissioner’s Cup eliminations, where they are in a must-win situation in their game against Barangay Ginebra on Wednesday.
“For Alaska fans, not too many more exciting games this conference than Ginebra with us on a do-or-die situation,” said Compton. “That’s going to be fun and I have to control my emotions better on that one.” (RL)
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