WE HAVE TO GET BETTER AS A TEAM – SOL M
Barangay Ginebra San Miguel pushed the right buttons at the right time.
With the Kings’ quarterfinal window slowly closing, the desperate squad unfurled a sensational fourth quarter to pull away and claim the 120-98 victory over Barako Bull Wednesday.
In dire need of a win, Ginebra got huge contributions from its local players to support Orlando Johnson’s 41-point output.
Sol Mercado was one of those, as he got 14 markers to help the Kings’ cause and end a two-game skid.
“We played with a lot of energy. We switched a lot of stuff on defense, created turnovers, and we were able to run. We got our flow and it worked in our advantage,” Mercado said.
At 4-6, Ginebra is still not out of the woods and badly needs a victory over NLEX on Wednesday to at least have a fighting chance of making it to the next round.
But Mercado said that the team is still optimistic.
“We have the potential. Coach really just wants us to play with the effort and energy,” he said, as the squad slowly figures to work with coach Frankie Lim’s system.
“That’s what coach is preaching: Give the best effort on the floor and we’ll see the results.”
Though they’re still struggling to grasp the schemes of Ginebra’s new coach, the Sol Train said the Kings are trying their best to do so.
“It’s a new system for all of us. We’re learning everyday and try to have it as second nature for all of us,” Mercado said.
And the learning never stops.
“We just hope to continue to get better everyday and we get better as a team,” said Mercado. “If we keep on losing, there will be moves. So we have to get better as a team, get better individually, and we get wins. It’s a process.” (RL)
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