KEEPING THEIR FINGERS CROSSED
Like it or not, the GlobalPort Batang Pier will have to wait until the final second of the final game of the PBA Commissioner’s Cup eliminations to know where they’re headed.
To the quarters? Or out the door?
“What we’re preaching to the team is we need to deserve the victory,” GlobalPort interim head coach Eric Gonzales said. “It’s not in our hands anymore. That’s in God’s hands already.”
GlobalPort will advance to the quarters if Barangay Ginebra wins over Alaska. A win by the Aces, on the other hand, will signal the end of the Batang Pier’s campaign.
Though Gonzales admitted that the absence of Stanley Pringle, who has been sidelined due to an ankle sprain, deeply affected their campaign, he trained his sights more on import Derrick Caracter’s play.
“Ganun talaga. We just have to trust him na next time, he’ll bounce back,” Gonzales said.
Since changing imports from Calvin Warner to Caracter, the Batang Pier have gone 0-3, dropping them to 4-7, and will miss the playoffs if Alaska wins over Barangay Ginebra on Wednesday.
While keeping his fingers crossed that Lady Luck will smile on them, Gonzales also challenged his reinforcement.
“He needs to be responsible. Greg Slaughter had him before and now, it was (June Mar) Fajardo. He should really take responsibility and be challenged by the opposition,” he said. (RL)
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